By Iddi Yire, GNA Special Correspondent in London
London, June 03, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama has indicated that Ghana is open for business and ready for strategic partnerships that are uncovered in long-term value creation.
Addressing the 12th Africa Debate at the historic Guildhall in the City of London, the President said “Our government is undertaking major reforms to improve the ease of doing business, strengthening transparency, modernising our infrastructure, and creating a more predictable investment environment.
The event organised by Invest Africa in collaboration with the United Kingdom Government was on the theme: ”Redefining Partnership: Navigating a World in Transition”.
President Mahama said the government was investing aggressively in the transport infrastructure, roads, railways and ports, energy reliability, agro-industrial parts, logistical corridors, aviation and air cargo systems, digital infrastructure, skills development, and innovation ecosystems.
He said the government’s flagship Big Push Infrastructure Programme was creating investment opportunities across road, rail, energy, housing, water systems, and logistics infrastructure.
He noted that government was also prioritising local participation in investment partnerships because sustainable growth must create domestic capacity and share prosperity.
“For investors gathered here today, Ghana offers political stability, democratic continuity, strategic geographical access to the West African sub-region and a government that is committed to reform and private sector growth. And importantly, Ghana offers clarity of vision.”
The President said redefining partnerships required honesty and that the current international financial architecture remains unequal and outdated.
He said African countries continued to face disproportionately high borrowing costs, despite carrying some of the world’s greatest growth potential.
President Mahama said climate finance and commitments made to developing nations have remained largely unmet, adding that, technology and innovation ecosystems remain heavily concentrated in the advanced economies.
The President said trade barriers still disadvantaged African producers seeking access to global markets; declaring that “this must change”.
“True partnership requires trade that rewards value addition. Africa must no longer be seen as an exporter of raw materials, only to import finished products at significantly higher cost.”
President Mahama said debt’s reform that supported development was needed; stating that debt-restriction mechanisms must become faster, fairer, and more inclusive.
The President said Africa contributed least to global emissions and yet, bore a disproportionate burden of the effects of climate change.
He noted that Africa’s digital transformation must be driven not by dependency, but by collaboration and knowledge sharing, and global governance institutions must reflect contemporary realities, including Africa’s demographic and economic significance.
The President said the United Kingdom had a unique opportunity to redefine its relationship with Africa for the 25th century, saying, beyond their historical ties, there was a strategic economic imperative for deeper UK-Africa engagement.
President Mahama said Africa represented one of the world’s greatest growth frontiers and for the United Kingdom, partnership with Africa could strengthen trade diversification, investment expansion, energy transition goals, financial services, and innovation collaboration.
“For Africa, partnership with United Kingdom can accelerate industrialization, infrastructure development, technology transfer, education partnerships, and access to capital.
This relationship must therefore evolve from one that is primarily shaped by aid to one that is uncoding enterprise innovation and investment,” he added.
He commended organisations of the 12 edition of the Africa Debate, such as Invest Africa, for facilitating this transition precisely.
“Africa is not a risk to be managed. Africa is an opportunity to be seized,” he noted.
He said Ghana was ready to serve as one of the continent’s most reliable gateways for investment, manufacturing, finance, innovation, and regional trade expansion.
“Africa is not waiting to be rescued. Africa is building. Africa is innovating and transforming,” President Mahama said.
He said Ghana was proud to be part of that transformation, as the late President, Kwame Nkrumah, “reminded us of many years ago, the future belongs to those who prepare for it”.
“Ghana is preparing, Africa is preparing and together through a genuine partnership we can build a more prosperous and more equitable global future”, he concluded.
On her part, Madam Baroness Chapman, UK Minister of Minister of State for International Development, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, announced the new UK-African Union Partnership Programme, which is supporting AU-led action across peace and security, climate growth and trade, areas where the AU’s ability to bring together member states to work politically delivers results that no country could achieve by itself.
GNA
Edited by Linda Asante Agyei
