Foreign Affairs Minister advocates for Transformative Trade and Development Agenda in bid for Commonwealth Secretary-General role
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has articulated a robust vision for the Commonwealth’s economic trajectory during her address at the GIPC’s Economic Counsellors’ Dialogue themed “Navigating the Changing Landscape of International Investment Agreements” on Tuesday, April 30, 2024.
Proposing a transformative trade and development agenda, she underscored the pivotal role of a successful free trade agreement among member states in bolstering global and regional supply chain integration.
By leveraging such integration, the Minister envisages a significant upsurge in the Commonwealth’s participation in the multilateral trading system, effectively positioning the World Trade Organisation (WTO) at the nexus of both regional and global trade dynamics.
“I propose a transformative trade and development agenda whereby a successful free trade agreement among its members states will aid the Commonwealth reap the benefits of enhancing integration and participation in global and regional supply chains and also boost participation in the multilateral trading system. I believe transformative policy puts the World Trade Organisation in a position of synergy for both regional and global trade integration,” she quipped.
Highlighting Ghana’s burgeoning investment landscape, the Minister accentuated the nation’s facilitative business environment across diverse sectors delineating a suite of government initiatives aimed at streamlining business operations through digitalization.
These encompass a spectrum of systems, from the digitization of business registration to the implementation of paperless port processes, digital addressing systems, and interoperable mobile money frameworks.
Such measures, she contends, are pivotal in mitigating operational costs and enhancing connectivity in an era underscored by technological imperatives.
“These initiatives by the Government have assisted in lowering the cost of doing business and have made it easier for clients to communicate with their customers, especially in a technology-driven era, where connecting to digital services is a critical component of attaining competitiveness and sustainability.
“Similarly, state institutions such as the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, the Ghana Export Promotion Authority, and the Ghana Enterprise Agency are all better placed and ready to assist businesses in the country,” she remarked.
