Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has asked the United Arab Emirates to tap into the opportunities presented by Ghana as host of the African Continental Free Trade Secretariat.

In an engagement with the Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates, H.E. Sheikh Shakhbut Bin Nahyan Al Nahyan  on the sidelines of the ongoing World Expo in Dubai, Hon. Shirley Ayorkow Botchwey urged her colleague to pay particular attention to Ghana as the Country is increasingly becoming the hub for economic integration on the African continent.

The Hon. Minister outlined the enormous opportunities on the back of the African Free Trade pact. She further stressed that the world’s largest Free Trade will connect almost 1.3 billion people across Africa with a market of 3. 4 trillion.

The Minister was part of the high ranking delegation that participated in the business and economic deliberations between Ghana and the UAE at the ongoing World Expo 2020 in Dubai which led to the signing of five MoU’s on various commercial and trade partnerships.

On his part, the Emirati Foreign Minister also used the occasion to commend the West African Country for the peace and stability and assured the Minister that his office will take steps to implement the Visa waiver agreement related to diplomatic and service passport holders. The two sides also committed to engage their Governments to ensure ratification of the labour agreement as well as the investment protection agreement.

The Ministers expressed interest in promoting trade and investments by their respective business operators. Hon. Ayorkor Botchwey commended the innovative Start Up programmes of the UAE and called on her counterpart to support Youth Start Ups in Ghana to create employment for the teeming unemployed youth.

The two Ministers also discussed Cooperation in the fields of Agriculture and renewable energy, an area the UAE is keen to invest in Ghana.

Madam Ayorkor Botchwey extended an invitation to the UAE to participate in the high level open debates Ghana would convene during her Presidency at the United Nations Security Council in November.