Nii Martey M. Botchway
Accra, Nov. 21, GNA – The High Commission of India, Accra in collaboration with the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) – Ghana, has organized a Round Table Conference to discuss emerging opportunities to strengthen collaboration between India and Ghana.
Held on the theme: “Perspectives from Ghana: India and the Global South,” the conference was aimed at identifying scalable solutions, best practices, and capacity building that would benefit both countries.
The conference which was co-chaired by Mr Manish Gupta, the India High Commissioner to Ghana, and Ambassador Kabral Blay-Amihere, Vice President, CFR-Ghana, also sought to prepare a roadmap for identifying partnerships among the Global South for sustainable development, leverage young demographics and skill development, as well as strategize for technology and knowledge transfer across key sectors with a focus on the India-Ghana corridor.
In his introductory remarks, Mr Gupta said the Government of India had embarked on major initiatives, including the voice of Global South Summits to channel views of developing countries on contemporary pressing matters ranging from sustainable development to climate change to healthcare in the G20 agenda.
He said given the socioeconomic similarities that India and the African continent, there was a need for a collaboration between development think tanks, academia, and businesses to strengthen the India– Ghana relationship.
Mr Gupta, who mentioned that Ghana’s framework and increasing focus on digitalization holds promising prospects for it to become a front runner in the services sector, said Ghana was well positioned to tap the opportunities available in the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Citing Ghana as a privileged partner for India since its independence, Mr Gupta was of the belief that the conference would create an avenue to effective partnership.
“We believe that India’s own quest for reforms in global institutions is incomplete without an equal place for Africa,” he said.
The conference, which included a panel discussion with Ambassador Kwabena Baah-Duodu, Dr. Tony Oteng-Gyasi, Ms. Harriet Nartey, Mr. Amar Deep Hari, and Dr. Kwaku Danso also focused on emerging opportunities where India and Ghana could strengthen their collaboration further in identifying scalable solutions, best practices, and capacity building.
The panelists shared deep insights on Global South, including the historical perspective, the role of the private sector and business, the importance of Information Technology sector, as well as youth and culture as drivers of change, and matters related to military cooperation and security.
The Conference brought together senior officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration; Trade and Industry; Policy Think Tanks, Diplomats, Academia, Officials from the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center, and the Chambers of Commerce, as well as Prominent Members of the Indian diaspora, and the Media.
GNA