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19.04.2017 Africa

From Kester Kenn Klomegah, Moscow Bureau Chief

19.04.2017 LISTEN
By GNA

Moscow, Russia, April 19, GNA - The Moscow based B2B Export Group of Companies has announced that the Russian-African Forum (RAF'17) is now scheduled for April 24 to 27 in two west African countries, namely Ghana and Nigeria.

The Forum is supported by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation. In both Accra and in Lagos, the Russian business delegation would hold business meetings with government officials and export promotion councils and groups of local businesses.

'In order to make RAF'17 in Ghana and Nigeria effective and interesting for delegates, we will provide the opportunity of face-time with some of the most influential executives and investors through Business-to-Business (Ð'2Ð'), Government-to-Business (G2B) and Government-to-Government (G2G) meetings.

There will also be business visits organised by Ghanaian companies to increase knowledge and shared experiences of business and investment developments in the region,' according to a press made available to the Ghana News Agency (GNA).

It said further that 'together we will work to define challenges, solutions and actions, always keeping in mind the best interests of our people and their need for safety and prosperity.'

In the spirit of global citizenship, the RAF engages political, business, academic and other leaders in collaborative efforts to shape investment, trade and technology transfer flows between Russia and Africa.

RAF has received positive responses from African business communities that indicate an enormous interest in the goods and services Russian companies can offer. The key reason for the choice of the two west African countries is obvious. The economies of Ghana and Nigeria are one of the fast growing in the region.

The key focus of the countries is to meet the ever growing demand for housing, power, infrastructure, skills development, food safety and trade development to supply the domestic market with consumer goods.

Besides the above common factors, Ghana has developed a stable political environment during the last three decades, leading to economic growth.

Russian companies have developed a vast expertise in those areas and are ready to participate in infrastructure, energy, mining, agriculture and other projects.

Ghana's Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Dr. Kodzo Alabo said earlier in an interview with GNA that special attention would be focused on the existing economic potential and that Russian entrepreneurs could take advantage of them as a basis for establishing mutual partnership.

Additionally, Dr Alabo stressed the creation of platforms for sustainable business dialoguing with interested local Ghanaian partners and that could be done through their business associations and cooperatives as well as through the Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC).

These could facilitate in discovering and opening up real prospects for increased cooperation between the two countries. There is no doubt that cooperation in the development of energy sources, oil and gas exploration, agriculture, manufacturing and technologies could meet local interest, according the views of the Ambassador.

Certainly, the Russian delegation, while meeting with officials of the GIPC will discuss and possibly negotiate for significant projects in the country. The delegation is also scheduled to meet other local business groups before leaving finally for Lagos, Nigeria. The B2B Export Group of Companies has previously organised fruitful Russian business and trade missions to a number of African countries, mainly in southern and eastern Africa.

GNA

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