The European Union (EU) Delegation to Ghana has stated that it is helping the country build its manufacturing value chains to enable it to export more finished products to the EU market.
It said it was doing so by improving infrastructure crucial to attracting investment to build Ghana’s manufacturing capacity, developing the relevant skills for manufacturing, improving agricultural produce and helping Ghana establish itself as a vaccine-producing hub.
The Ambassador of the EU Delegation to Ghana, Rune Skinnebach, who disclosed this in an interview, said that as the biggest export market for Ghana, it wanted to see Ghana exporting more goods to Europe as part of the EU’s new relationship with Ghana that had evolved from a traditional donor-beneficiary relationship into a partnership of equals.
He said Europe imported more Ghanaian goods than any other region and provided development support with clear checks and accountability.
However, these positive developments did not always improve the lives of all Ghanaians nationwide.
“Large inequalities remain, but we are working hard to improve that by prioritising agriculture, education and employment.
Trade is not truly fair until Ghana can export what it makes, not just what it grows,” he said.
The EU is currently Ghana’s largest investor, primary donor and top trading partner, with over €6.3 billion in total trade in goods as of 2024.
Ghana largely exports raw commodities such as bauxite, gold and cocoa to Europe, while Europe exports machinery, pharmaceuticals and vehicles.
With few exceptions, the EU grants 100 per cent duty-free and quota-free access to all imports coming from Ghana.
Mr Skinnebach, speaking ahead of the 50th-anniversary celebration of the Ghana-EU partnership, said that, as part of efforts to help Ghana export more finished goods to Europe, they were investing in Ghana’s standards and certification infrastructure so that processed goods could meet EU market requirements, and also in improved road networks in agricultural regions.
Vaccine
He said through the Special Measure on MAV+, the EU had invested over €50million in support of Ghana’s ambition to become a manufacturing hub, adding that the EU’s support for Ghana’s vaccine manufacturing initiative was genuinely transformative.
“The Special Measure on MAV+ is part of the Global Gateway investment package for Africa,” he said.
On skills development, he said the EU was very active in the TVET sector, where it was developing skills among young Ghanaians to attract investors and build a robust recruitment base for manufacturing capacity in the country.
“We are developing the technical and vocational education centres because we know that this is also a policy of successive governments and it is something that is required for Ghanaians to benefit from the investment willingness and for creating a manufacturing sector.
“It is to ensure that the skill base is where it is needed to attract investment and young people, notably girls, into these educations,” he explained.
Touching on security, the ambassador commended Ghana for the path it had chosen to bring peace to the continent and subregion, and added that the EU was ready to support Ghana in advancing regional security.
He said the EU was particularly impressed by Ghana’s approach to engaged dialogue.
“These are really efforts of Ghana that the EU cannot take credit for.
We stand ready, however, should we get the request to support.
“Ghana is a beacon of stability in the sub-region, and we want it to remain so,” he said.
He said the EU had been a staunch supporter of Ghana’s security and defence, adding that its objective was to help Ghana keep its citizens safe.
Under its 30+ security initiatives, which amount to over € 100 million, he said the assistance to Ghana spanned soft security, including dialogue and mediation, to hard security, such as the delivery of military equipment, covering border management and the fight against terrorism.
Anniversary
The ambassador said the anniversary would be launched in May to kick-start activities, including the Europe Day celebration, a film festival, high-level visits and regular dialogue between the EU and the government.
Mr Skinnebach said he wished to see a country that had eradicated corruption, had sound finances, did not need IMF programmes, and was not based on the fragile pillars of high gold and cocoa prices but on the export of manufactured goods.
“I would certainly hope to find a country which has succeeded in addressing the galamsey issue in a serious manner.
Similarly, in the fisheries sector, I would hope to see Ghanaians eating plenty of fish from a productive sector without worrying about polluted waters or overfishing.
“And I would like to see a Ghana that continues to play its stabilising role in the region and takes its stance on the multilateral scene where we support Ghana’s ambition to have an African seat in the Security Council, in the G20 and we want to see this role materialise,” he said.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh