President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Friday opened the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) office in Accra to strengthen and accelerate business exchanges between Ghana and Japan.
JETRO Accra Office, which began operations in March 2020 but postponed its official opening due to the COVID-19 pandemic, focuses on the promotion of trade and investment
President Akufo-Addo said Ghana was determined to become the focal point for intra-African trade and investment and a new hub for industrialisation.
The President said Ghana had had strong bilateral relations with Japan since it gained independence in 1957, including notable bilateral agreements and protocols.
The JETRO Accra office will provide a permanent and administrative mechanism for strengthening bilateral dialogue and cooperation on trade and investment and private sector development programmes between Japan and Ghana.
JETRO, which has nine offices in Africa, including the Accra office, is the principal public agency of Japan responsible for promoting and supporting external trade investments activities.
The Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, said the JETRO Accra office would engender the strong participation of the private sector in the country’s industrialisation drive.
The Trade Minister said Ghana had enjoyed significant investments and businesses from Japan in the last three years, adding that Japan continues to advance the productive capacity of the Ghanaian private sector to a new level to compete globally.
“The Government of Ghana seeks to enhance the productive capacity of the local private sector to position them to partner foreign investors including Japanese investors to take full advantage of the numerous opportunities prevailing in the economy,” Mr Kyerematen stated.
He hoped that the JETRO office would facilitate the development of Ghana as it did to some Asian country’s and make the country the preferred destination for Japanese businesses.
The CEO of JETRO, Mr Nobuhiko Sasaki, said Ghana and Africa were getting much of Japan’s attention while increasing its investment in Africa. He commended President Akufo-Addo for deepening the engagements.
Rex Mainoo Yeboah, ISD
