Ghana’s Ambassador to China, Winifred Hammond delivered a speech at the 3rd China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE) held in Hunan Province, China. The expo provided a remarkable platform to showcase the achievements and opportunities of China-Africa cooperation in various sectors and foster new partnerships for greater cooperation.

Under the theme “Common Development for a Shared Future,” Dr. Hammond expressed warm greetings and gratitude on behalf of the Ghanaian government, the Ghana Embassy in Beijing, and all citizens of Ghana residing in Hunan. He extended heartfelt appreciation to the organizers of the CAETE for providing this valuable opportunity.

Highlighting Ghana’s vision of building a prosperous and inclusive society that leaves no one behind, Dr. Hammond emphasized the importance of joining forces to foster resilient, sustainable, and environmentally friendly development models. These models should cater to the needs of the people and safeguard the planet, especially in the face of the far-reaching impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic downturn, conflicts, and climate change.

Dr. Hammond emphasized the need to deepen ties in the short, medium, and long term to enable Ghana to achieve total economic recovery and lay the foundation for stronger and more inclusive growth. He reaffirmed Ghana’s dedication to deepening economic and trade ties with China and fellow African nations through the CAETE platform.

Highlighting the longstanding friendship and partnership between Ghana and China, Dr. Hammond acknowledged China’s invaluable support in crucial areas such as infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, energy, digitalization, and industrialization.

He mentioned the Belt and Road Initiative as a visionary proposal by President Xi Jinping that has opened new avenues for cooperation between Ghana, China, and Africa as a whole. Various projects, including the Tema Port Expansion Project, the Jamestown Fishing Port Complex Project, and the Ghana-China Trade and Investment Promotion Park Project, have made remarkable progress under this framework.

Dr Hammond emphasized that China’s investments in Ghana have had positive impacts such as a reduction in the unemployment rate, improved infrastructure, and access to affordable Chinese goods and services. He highlighted Ghana’s exceptional investment opportunities, including a stable political environment, a substantial consumer base, a conducive business environment, abundant natural resources, and a diversified economy.

Addressing the importance of the agriculture sector, Dr Hammond stressed the need for an industry chain agricultural cooperation for development, including production, processing, improving market infrastructure, and deepening bilateral cooperation in areas such as agricultural machinery, irrigation, and water conservation facilities.

He shared his involvement as a senior official of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in assessing and certifying the Hybrid Rice Center in Changsha as a global Centre of Excellence. Dr Hammond also expressed the urgency of investment in hybrid rice seed production to reduce the dependence on imports for Ghana and other African countries.

The Embassy of Ghana in Beijing, stressed its commitment to facilitating investments, partnerships, and collaborations between Ghana and China for mutual benefit and prosperity.