The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), of Qatar Investment Authority for Africa and Asia, Sheikh Faisal AL Thani and a business delegation are in Ghana to explore business and investment opportunities.
The delegation arrived Monday night at the behest of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and has since been engaging stakeholders in various sectors of the economy — tourism, infrastructure, mining, agriculture and finance — to explore potential areas of investment opportunities.
The delegation, as part of the visit, paid a courtesy call on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House on Tuesday.
Sheikh Faisal AL Thani and his business delegation are in Ghana because of the promise the Emir of Qatar made to President Akufo-Addo, that, he (the Amir of Qatar) would send a delegation to Ghana to look into the possibilities and explore business and investment opportunities.
President Akufo-Addo on March 12, this year, attended the 5th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5), in Oatar and on the sidelines called on the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani at the Amiri Diwan (the official workplace of the Amir) in Doha.
The President was among 5,000 participants that attended LDC5, including 47 Heads of State and 130 Ministers and Deputy Ministers.
President Akufo-Addo and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, in Doha, discussed, among other issues of interest, bilateral cooperation between Ghana and Qatar and how to explore and enhance investment opportunities, for the mutual benefit of their respective countries.
President Akufo-Addo urged business owners and entrepreneurs in Qatar to come to Ghana and explore the many business and investment opportunities that abound in the country.
At the Jubilee House, President Akufo-Addo told the delegation “You’ve come. This year I have seen the Emir, twice, and on the first occasion, when he promised that the people would be coming, it got mixed up with Ramadan, yes so, I understood that.
“But then, the last time I came, he said he’s definitely this time round, people will be coming to talk to us…so I am really happy to see you here.”
President Akufo-Addo told the delegation that Ghana is determined to develop strong relations, both political and economic with Qatar.
The President said he told the Emir of Qatar during their conversations, in Doha, that, there were many ways — the desire and proximity — that both countries could exploit and develop a very strong relationship.
“Having you here” the President told the delegation, it was important to step forward and identify what were the opportunities and “which would interest you and what would be the opportunities you would like to push.”
“So, it’s good…we are all here, the Finance Minister, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, the Chief of Staff, the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority, the Transport Minister are all here. We take this delegation very seriously,” the President stated.
Rex Mainoo Yeboah, ISD
