Apraku leads government delegation on three-nation tour

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku is leading a government and business delegation for a two-week tour of the US, Germany and Qatar.

A statement issued in Accra on Tuesday said the in the US, the minister would participate in a US/Africa Business Summit which would incorporate the Africa Growth and Opportunity (AGOA), Private Sector Forum and the US/Africa Trade and Economic Co-operation Forum.

The minister will co-chair one of the plenary sessions with Mr Donald Evans, US Secretary of Commerce under the topic: "Strengthening Commercial Linkages".

The statement said the objective of the summit is to identify ways in which the two continents can work together to build and strengthen commercial linkages and remove business impediments.

The AGOA Forum would seek to identify ways to improve US/Africa commercial relations under AGOA by supporting private sector linkages, business development and trade expansion.

It would identify impediment to building effective commercial linkages, how to remove such impediment and ways to support the private sector in order to maximise AGOA benefit.

The German visit, the statement said, is at the invitation of the Minister for Economic Co-operation and Development, Mrs Heidemarie Wiezoerk-Zeul.

It said Dr Apraku would address the Chambers of Commerce of Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn, Bremen and Frankfurt and open a workshop on "Import Shop Trade Fair Berlin" which would feature suppliers from around the world, including Ghana, and buyers from giant German chain shops.

The Statement said in Qatar the minister would lead the Ghanaian team to participate in the fourth session of the World Trade Organisation ministerial Conference.

The conference would provide an opportunity to take stock of development in the muti-lateral trading system and how it affects Africa in particular.

Ghana's participation would ensure that its concerns and interest are reflected in any programme that would be agreed on.