MoTI outdoors initiative to boost francophone trade
The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI), in an effort to improve Ghana’s trade relations with French speaking countries, has opened a new office, Espace Francophone Ghana, to execute the initiative.
The purpose was to help made-in-Ghana products and services make inroads into the francophone market in the sub-region and the global market as a whole.
Espace Francophone Ghana, which is a subsidiary of the Ministry, and located in Accra, would make use of modern technology such as the creation of websites in French on products and services offered in Ghana and the production of TV and radio programmes in French.
Addressing the press on Tuesday on the initiative, Nii Ansah-Adjaye, Chief Director of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, said the 890 million population of francophone countries across the world, accounting for 20 percent of the total global trade of goods, made it necessary to explore avenues to trade with them.
“It is, therefore, in our vital interest to promote healthy business environment with our francophone neighbours and the rest of the francophone world to ensure that our products are well marketed in their various countries,” he said.
He called for the maximum use of ICT and modern communication tools to ensure the elimination of all bottlenecks to trade across the world.
“ICT has virtually impacted all aspects of the lives of mankind: e-commerce, e-leaning, e-medical services and television have all assisted in turning this world into a global village,” he said.
He said through the Espace Francophone Ghana initiative, there would be the development of portals in French for MoTI affiliated agencies such as the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and the Ghana Free Zones Board.
Mr Alain Ferolle Mboungou, Executive Director of Espace Francophone Ghana, lauded the initiative and called on stakeholders to fully support it.
He pledged the preparedness of Espace Francophone Ghana to ensure that products made in Ghana were well marketed in francophone countries.
Source: GNA