Angolan government seeks collaborative financing opportunities with AGI Volta in artificial general intelligence developments
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Yo, listen up! The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) in the Volta Region recently had a collab meeting with Angola's ambassador in Ghana. The chat was all about snagging some sweet trade opportunities for the Volta Region and Angola's private sector.
This shindig was a team effort with the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC), part of a "fact-finding" mission to scope out the investment potential in the Volta Region and Angola.
The guy leading the charge for the AGI, a fellow named Dela Gadzanku, spilled the beans to B&FT about the Volta Region's plans to lure some key investments in tourism, agribusiness, and ICT from Angola.
According to Mr. Gadzanku, after some hot discussions, the AGI, VRCC, and Angola's embassy reached a pact to enable private sector players in the Volta Region to embark on trade missions to Angola. These missions aim to discover possible spots for teamwork between the two countries' private sectors. The trade missions are supposed to take place early next year, and they'll also hit Kenya and South Africa.
At the forum, the Angolan ambassador, João Domingos Baptista Quiosa, pised himself about the need for Angola and Ghana to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) stationed in Accra to boost bilateral trade between the two nations.
Trade statistics between Ghana and Angola were way off, according to the UN's COMTRADE database on international trade, with a measly US$165,000 trade balance in 2019. The ambassador said this isn't impressive compared to Ghana's trade with the US, Europe, or Asian countries.
"Angola could totally use more Ghanaian chocolates, Kente cloth, and other goods," João Domingos Baptista Quiosa said, adding, "I'm here to spread the word about business opportunities in the Volta Region and Ghana in general to businesses back in Angola."
The ambassador emphasized the need for Africa to unite for trade to generate job opportunities for young people. He was particularly taken aback by Ghana's One District, One Factory initiative, which has the potential to rev up the economy. But, first things first, trade should happen among Africans, not with China or Europe, he stressed.
João Domingos Baptista Quiosa shared that Angola has been a key trading partner for Ghana in transportation, agricultural machinery, fisheries, and education.
Now, here's where things get interesting. The Volta Region and Angola can collaborate in several ways:
Tourism- The Volta Region's tourism sector's on the rise, thanks to initiatives like the establishment of a vocational training center to equip local youth with practical skills in tourism. This opens doors for joint ventures or knowledge exchange programs with Angola in tourism management, cultural heritage preservation, and hospitality training.- With attractions like the Hedranawo Slave Museum, there's room for collaborative cultural tourism projects and marketing strategies between Angola and the Volta Region. Both stand to gain by sharing expertise in developing heritage sites and enhancing visitor experiences.
Agribusiness- The Volta Region offers investment opportunities in agriculture and agro-processing as part of Ghana's broader focus on these sectors, with help from institutions like the African Development Bank. Angola, keen on agri-development, can team up on tech transfer, value chain improvements, and export promotion.- Given the growing horticulture market in Ghana, Angola might find opportunities in trade or joint investment in horticulture and agriproducts. The Volta Region's fertile soil and Ghana's access to export markets could make for a lucrative combo.
ICT- While ICT projects in the Volta Region weren’t detailed, the region's push for rural electrification is a solid foundation for ICT development and digital inclusion in rural areas. This infrastructure can pave the way for Angola and the Volta Region to collaborate on ICT solutions that improve connectivity, e-services, and digital literacy, especially in rural communities.
In essence, Angola and the Volta Region could cooperate on:- Tourism partnerships focusing on training, cultural tourism projects, and heritage site development- Agribusiness collaborations emphasizing agro-processing, horticulture trade, and value-chain enhancement- ICT-fueled rural development bolstered by renewable energy infrastructure to boost connectivity and digital access
These collaborations have the potential to kickstart economic growth, market integration, and capacity building in both regions. Why settle for trading with big guns like China and Europe when you can join forces with smaller nations and make bigger profits? Let's shake hands, Angola!
- The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC) aim to attract key investments in tourism, agribusiness, and ICT from Angola, following a recent meeting with Angola's ambassador.
- The trade missions, scheduled for early next year, will not only take place in Angola but also in Kenya and South Africa, targeting possible partnerships between the private sectors of both countries.
- João Domingos Baptista Quiosa, the Angolan ambassador, emphasized the need for Angola and Ghana to boost bilateral trade through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and encouraged African unity for trade to generate job opportunities.
- The Commerce and Trade Database shows a low trade balance between Ghana and Angola, suggesting opportunities for growth in sectors such as Ghanaian chocolates, Kente cloth, and other goods.
- The Volta Region and Angola could collaborate in tourism, focused on training, cultural tourism projects, and heritage site development; agribusiness, including agro-processing, horticulture trade, and value-chain enhancement; and ICT, focusing on rural development, connectivity, e-services, and digital literacy.
- These collaborations could trigger economic growth, market integration, and capacity building in both the Volta Region and Angola, potentially resulting in higher profits compared to trading with larger economies like China and Europe.
