The Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC), former Private Secretary to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and former Director of the Office of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at 10 Downing Street, Samantha Cohen CVO OBE, paid an official visit to Ghana as part of a high-level Commonwealth engagement mission focused on advancing trade, investment, and strategic partnerships across Africa.

During her visit, Cohen served as a Keynote Speaker, alongside the Vice President of Ghana, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agymang at the Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD) held at the Accra International Conference Centre. The Dialogues convened senior government leaders, private-sector executives, and international partners to advance Africa’s economic integration and prosperity agenda.

In her capacity as CEO of CWEIC, Sam Cohen also co-chaired the Ghana International Advisory Council, together with Dr. John Apea, Commonwealth Envoy and Head of Mission. The Council meeting was held at the Kempinski Hotel, Gold Coast City and brought together senior Commonwealth leadership and strategic partners. Participants included CWEIC Advisory Board Member, Shanthi Annan and CWEIC Country Director for Ghana, Ben Cobblah, alongside Commonwealth Strategic Partners such as KGL Group, Virtual Infosec Africa, Zenith Bank, and ACCA, among others.

At the Africa Prosperity Dialogues, Sam Cohen further co-chaired a high-level roundtable on AfCFTA and Commonwealth collaboration, together with Shanthi Annan. The session focused on the role of the Commonwealth in supporting the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and strengthening intra-African trade and investment through coordinated public- and private-sector engagement. The roundtable was attended by senior business leaders and members of the diplomatic corps.

As part of the visit, Cohen and the Commonwealth delegation, which included the Chairman and CEO of the Elgon Group, Dr. Bimal Kantaria, the CEO of the RusselSmith Group, Kayode Adeleke, and the CEO of ESNA Group, Dulaj Vimukthi Manoarachchige, held strategic engagements with leading Ghanaian captains of industry. These included meetings with the Chairman of the Gold Coast Refinery, Dr. Said Deraz, CEO of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), Alex Mould, Chairperson of Golden Empire Legacy Limited, Joana Gyan Cudjoe, the MD of Republic Bank Ghana, Dr. Benjamin Dzoboku and CEO of the Ghana Maritime Authority, Dr. Kamal Deen Ali.

Speaking during the visit, Sam Cohen said, “the private sector has a critical role to play in mobilising capital, expertise, and innovation to support Africa’s growth ambitions. Through the Commonwealth, we are uniquely positioned to unlock this potential by connecting investors, businesses, and governments in practical, outcome-driven partnerships.

She further stressed the economic benefits of the Commonwealth advantage initiative, highlighting its potential to boost trade and growth in Africa.

"The Commonwealth Advantage, where it is estimated to be up to 21% cheaper for Commonwealth countries to trade with one another, provides a powerful platform to accelerate AfCFTA implementation, deepen intra-African trade, and deliver sustainable economic growth for Ghana and the wider continent," she said.

The Commonwealth Envoy and Head of Mission, Dr. John Apea, highlighted the role of the Commonwealth West Africa Export and Investment Centre in promoting economic growth and development in the region.

“CWEIC plays a unique convening role in bringing together the public and private sectors to advance economic prosperity. By aligning government priorities with private-sector capital, expertise, and execution capability, CWEIC helps transform policy intent into bankable projects and investable opportunities that drive trade, industrialisation, and long-term development for Ghana and across the Commonwealth,” he said.