Mr. Mark Okraku-Mantey, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, says the diplomatic relations between Ghana and Kenya are yielding results and urged both countries to harness the intra-Africa trade potentials to enhance the continent’s growth.
“Our efforts to strengthen economic ties are yielding results and we hope that the establishment of a Bi-National Commission and a Ghana-Kenya Business Council would further enhance the trade and economic dimensions of our bilateral relations,” he said.
Mr. Okraku-Mantey said the two countries could also leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) through their shared common goals of democratic governance and liberal markets to facilitate economic growth.
Mr. Okraku-Mantey said this when he led a government delegation to commemorate Kenya’s 58th Independence Anniversary at the Alisa Hotel in Accra.
The Minister, who represented President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the event, said the AfCFTA provided yet another incentive to strengthen economic cooperation and explore trade and investment opportunities to accelerate Africa’s socioeconomic growth.
“Under the AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative framework, Ghana and Kenya, together with six African countries, agreed to commence trading to promote Intra-African trade and I am happy that Ghana has received the first consignment of Kenya’s value-added tea,” he said.
Kenya, this week, introduced its brands of tea to Ghana through the AfCFTA under the Guided Trade Initiative.
Ghana had also, through its National Coordination Office of the Free Trade Area, shipped palm kernel oil and ceramics to Kenya and Cameroon.
Mr. Okraku-Mantey said the cordial relations between Ghana and Kenya started during the days of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Jomo Kenyatta, who collaborated to liberate their respective countries from colonialism.
He commended Kenya for her support to Ghana at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and in promoting global peace and security through dialogue and peaceful resolution of disputes.
Mr. Eliphas Barine, the Kenyan High Commissioner to Ghana, in his commemorative speech, said both countries would continue to deepen engagements to create wealth and prosperity.
He said Kenya looked forward to building on the foundation laid by the founding fathers: Mr. Jomo Kenyatta and Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, for mutual benefit.
“Moving forward, our eyes are cast on institutional linkages and collaboration for mutual benefits.”
Mr. Barine said it behooved on governments to provide enabling environments to do business and attract investment in addition to the AfCFTA to create wealth and take the citizens out of poverty. The Anniversary was attended by some ambassadors, leads of corporate institutions, and people from academia among other personalities.
