GEPA holds forum for Ghanaian, Ivorian businesses
The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), on Monday held a business forum for Ghanaian and Ivorian businesses, to discuss ways of enhancing bilateral trade between Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana to promote regional integration.
The two-day forum, which brought together business operators from various sectors was part of activities being organized by GEPA on the sidelines of the first ever exhibition of Made in Ghana products, in Abidjan.
The ten-day exhibition, which started on Friday, is being held under the auspices of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ghana Export Promotion Authority and the Ghana Embassy in Abidjan.
It seeks among other objectives to promote increased and sustained export of Ghanaian products and services in Cote d’Ivoire, and encourage joint ventures between Ghanaian businesses and their Ivorian counterparts.
The exhibition is also to deepen bilateral trade relations between the two countries and to strengthen Ghana’s trade balance vis-à-vis that of Cote d’Ivoire.
Mr Alex Dadzawa, Director of Marketing and Exports Promotion GEPA, said the broader objective of the forum was to deepen the understanding of business people from both countries to enhance the integration process of the West Africa sub-region.
He said it was GEPA’s aim to forge a strong partnership with Cote d’Ivoire.
Mr Dadzawa took the forum participants through the objectives for setting up GEPA and the marketing support and training it had been providing companies in the promotion of non-traditional exports, including product training and research.
Mr Assomou N’goran, Director Cote d’Ivoire Export Promotion Agency, said he was happy about the exhibition, and assured Ghanaian businesses seeking information to count on the support of the agency.
A key issue on the agenda at the forum was the presentation of Eco Marketing Services on the strategic distribution of Ghanaian products in Cote d’Ivoire, which aims to formalize the trade and distribution system between the two countries.
Mr Ange Michael Kablan, Managing Director Eco Marketing Service, said the distribution plan was in line with the trade promotion efforts of the GEPA and the Ivorian Export Agency.
Mr Kablan said Eco Marketing Services would undertake research and identify Ghanaian products that were needed on the Ivorian market, and also assist in product development and marketing.
He said Eco Marketing would also undertake the development of marketing information system on Ghanaian products.
Mr Kablan said the Eco Marketing Services would discuss the terms with companies, which really wanted to take advantage of opportunities in the Ivorian market.
He said the GEPA had given its approval but the two institutions were working on technical issues, adding that Eco marketing had plans first import Ghanaian products in November this year.
Mr Kablan said the planned project, which involved the building of warehouse, would cost about 500 million Francs and that the company had so far invested 173 million Francs.
Asked whether the similarities between the products of the two countries would not undermine the efforts, Mr Kablan said he did not envisage any such problems.
Mr Anbeu Josias Phares, Director of Marketing and Communication of the Traders Union of West Africa Countries, said the organization aims to enhance free trade by dealing with the problems free of movement of people, goods and services among ECOWAS countries.
Source: GNA