AMA to unveil Accra as Africa’s commercial capital

The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) have declared support for the 4th Ghana International Conference on Trade & Finance (GICTF) slated to start from April 9 to 10, this year at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra.

The fourth edition of the conference is being devoted to the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, hence dubbed the AfCFTA-Edition.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana International Trade & Finance Conference, Mr Selasi Koffi Ackom, told the Daily Graphic that the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Mohammed Adjei Sowah, would use the occasion to unveil a special tag with the inscription: “Accra – the Commercial Capital of Africa.”

He said GITFIC 2020 would be efficiently and strategically organised in a tailor-made form for the full benefit to accrue to the expected business persons on the continent.

He said the GITFIC, together with the AGI and AMA, would later address the press on the need for the conference and why every business executive, industry and company should make it a must to attend.

The 4th Ghana International Conference on Trade & Finance will insightfully expose and educate participants in Ghana and Africa on how to own a piece of the over $1.3 trillion African continental trade deal.

Participants, speakers

Mr Ackom said business executives from across the world from diverse industries, including, manufacturing, production, service, telecommunication, academics, importers, exporters, agriculture and general merchants had been registering on daily basis to attend the conference.

“Registration has so far reached 364 persons on the Conference App on google playstore alone. Space for the entire conference is for 500 business executives from the continent, “ he said.

He added that resource speakers and panel members from Nigeria, Zambia, Morocco, Sudan, Libya and Mali, had confirmed their participation in the upcoming conference, with many more expected to confirm soon.

The resource persons, Mr Ackom said, were selected from academia to trade, finance, customs, immigration, ports, media, as well as business chambers and trade unions from various regions of Africa.

“This is not only because of the brand GITFIC, but also because of the content and the fact that this may be the final major conference on AfCFTA before the commencement of trade on the continent by the close of July this year.

Conference arrangement

As part of the thematic sessions of the conference, some chief trade negotiators from different countries on the continent will share their experiences, while some African ambassadors to Ghana will also share with delegates what their countries are doing to enhance and ensure the successful implantation of the Continental Free Trade Area.

Academics from Africa would also answer the question: “Africa – Can Salvation be found in AfCFTA?

Mr Ackom said some senior officers from the ports, customs and immigration would also speak on their readiness to foster and harness a successful AfCFTA, while finance and telecommunication experts from the continent would also take their turn to address delegates on the physical and digital connectivity aspect of AfCFTA.

The CEO said there would be a session on the Role of Central Banks in Harmonising the Payment Systems within AfCFTA, while some leaders of Chambers of Commerce in Africa would dissect how ready industries were for AfCFTA vis-à-vis the opportunities that businesses could leverage.