Denmark plans to gradually downscale its aid programme to Ghana and engage more in the areas of trade and investment. Ghana has become a lower middle income country and a new strategic partnership between the two countries is underway.  

This forms part of a comprehensive Danish country policy (2014-2018) to consolidate its programmes in Ghana and support the transition to trade and investment and strengthen political co-operation.

Denmark celebrated its 165 years of constitutional monarchy last Wednesday.

The Danish Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Margit Thomsen, told the Daily Graphic, that she was hopeful Ghana might be inspired by the Danish experience.

Ghana-Denmark synergies

“Danish companies can provide many of the solutions that Ghana needs in areas such as climate change, water, agriculture, health and infrastructure,” she said.

The new policy, which is expected to boost Denmark’s presence in the areas of trade and investment in Ghana, highlights the synergies between the Danish support to regional integration and sustainable economic growth in Africa in general; and Danish development co-operation in the country in particular. 

“Denmark sees that Ghana and our other partners in Africa have more need for a new kind of co-operation and less need for traditional development co-operation.

ʺWe will use our many years of successful development co-­­operation and close ties as a springboard to create a smooth transition from development co-operation to increased commercial co-operation for growth and employment in Ghana,” Ms Thomsen said.

Economic cooperation

Ms Thomsen added that Denmark would intensify economic diplomacy at the inter-governmental level in Ghana to promote and assist in carrying out reforms which supported inclusive green growth in the country.

Among the areas of economic co-operation between Ghana and Denmark is that Denmark would support reforms that would improve the business environment and reduce barriers to trade and investment in Ghana. 

“There is a huge demand in Africa for sustainable investments in order to boost inclusive and green economic growth in the region. I think regional economic integration and commercial engagement must go hand-in-hand often in order to make this happen,” Ms Thomsen said.