Ghana, Switzerland sign two agreements

Ghana and Switzerland yesterday signed two landmark agreements to boost the bilateral and economic development cooperation between the two countries in the fight against climate change for the years 2021-2024.

The first agreement was the allocation of CHF65 million by the Swiss government to Ghana for economic development in Ghana, while the second was to pilot the operationalisation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and to mobilise funds internationally to implement the GH-NDCs.

The Paris Agreement set out a global framework to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2°C and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C as it also aimed to strengthen countries ability to deal with the impact of climate change and support them in their efforts.

The Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, signed the first agreement on behalf of the Ghana government, while the Councillor of Switzerland, the former President of the Swiss Confederation and current Swiss Minister for Environment, Traffic, Energy and Communications, Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga, signed on behalf of her country.

Ghana’s Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Kwaku Afriyie, signed the second on behalf of the Ghana of government, while Federal Councillor Sommaruga signed on behalf of the Switzerland government.

Federal Councillor Sommaruga said Switzerland was a global pioneer of climate protection, having set a standard for international climate projects that respected both human rights and nature.

Trading partner

Mr Ofori-Atta said Ghana had had a long-standing relationship with Switzerland and that the two countries had over the years cooperated in areas spanning trade to economy and environment.

He said currently, Ghana was the second largest trading partner of Switzerland in Africa after South Africa.

He said 60 per cent of the cocoa used for the manufacturing of chocolate products were imported from Ghana and that this had led to Ghana exporting $17 billion worth of cocoa to Switzerland.

He said the two agreements would help in fulfilling the Paris Agreement.

E-waste scrap dealers

For his part, Dr Kwaku Afriyie said the historic visit of the Switzerland Councillor to Ghana would further strengthen the relationship between the two countries.

He said in the area of environment, the Swiss had supported Ghana to reorganise e-waste scrap dealers in their operations at Agbogloshie in Accra.

“As a country, we are committed to fulfilling our climate commitments and the implementation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. We are fully committed to this process,” he said.

He said the bilateral cooperation agreement was envisaged to be implemented over a period of 10 years, starting with the implementation of a National Clean Energy Access Programme in solar and improved cookstoves, with the possibility of extension for which a total emission reduction of 2.0 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent would be sold to Switzerland.

“This bilateral agreement will be implemented through the private sector, with the government playing a facilitative and coordination role. An estimated amount of $20 million is expected to be paid by Switzerland in return for the emission reductions that will serve as carbon offsets,” he said.

Dr Afriyie said Ghana was proud to have signed and ratified the Paris Agreement, which was the first-ever universal and legally binding global climate change agreement adopted in December 2015.

The minister said the cooperation agreement would provide Ghana with a technology transfer which would introduce new and efficient solar technologies and clean cooking stoves into the country, and lead to job creation for the whole value chain, emission reduction and forest conservation.