Slated for September 5 to 7 at the Accra International Conference Centre, the flagship initiative would be held on the theme: ‘Championing Economic Diplomacy: Connecting Producers, Markets and Opportunities.’

Organised by the Min­istry of Foreign Affairs in partnership with the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI), Asso­ciation of Ghana Industries, Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI), Ghana Ex­port Promotion Authority (GEPA), Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA), Ghana Trade Fair Compa­ny, and the Ghana Investment Pro­motion Centre (GIPC), the event is expected to attract hundreds of exhibitors, with product categories ranging from agro-processing, textiles and fashion, to cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, handicrafts, and digital innovations.

Speaking at the media launch, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said the bazaar was part of the coun­try’s broader economic diplomacy agenda, carefully designed to support micro, small and medi­um-sized enterpris­es (MS­MEs) and enhance the country’s export of non-traditional goods.

“We are not merely talking about Made-in-Ghana; we are institution­alising it through bold reforms and strategic action,” he said.

Touching on the theme, Mr Ablakwa stated that it aligned with President John Dramani Mahama’s vision to build a self-reliant, indus­trialised, and globally competitive Ghana.

He also noted that the Minis­try was committed to deepening Ghana’s commercial engagements globally and turning the Made-in- Ghana vision into a sustainable economic engine, assuring that this year’s edition would be carefully cu­rated to offer exhibitors maximum outcomes and visibility for export.

Mr Ablakwa also outlined five new policy measures by his Ministry to demonstrate its commitment to the Made-in-Ghana agenda.

They include the introduction of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for ambassadors, with a specific focus on promoting Ghanaian products; compulsory promotion of Made-in-Ghana goods at all National Day events that would be hosted by Ghana’s diplomatic missions; and the exclusive serving of Made-in-Ghana food at official state events.

Mr Ablakwa added that all hu­manitarian donations made by the Ministry would henceforth consist only of Made-in-Ghana products.

He also announced a procure­ment policy directive, prioritising Ghanaian suppliers in the Ministry’s contracting processes, for which suppliers were advised to take ad­vantage of. “Every procurement we make starts with the question, do we have a Ghanaian company with the capacity to deliver? If yes, then the job stays here,” he asserted.

Chief Executive Officer of GIPC, Mr Simon Madjie, said the initiative aligned with his outfit’s vision to push Ghana’s 24-hour economy and connect Made-in- Ghana goods to markets across the continent and beyond.

The CEO of Ghana Trade Fair Company, Ms Naa Amerley Bamba, said promoting Made-in-Ghana goods was not just patriotic, but also strategic in supporting the gov­ernment’s mission in making the Ghanaian economy self-reliant.

The First Vice President, GNC­CI, Ms Emelia Assiakwa, indicated that the private sector was ready to make the bazaar a success since it aligned with GNCCI’s vision of advancing economic diplomacy and boosting the country’s non-tradi­tional exports.

To this end, the partners ap­plauded the Ministry for its efforts in enhancing the country’s econom­ic diplomacy and pledged their sup­port to the success of the bazaar.