He said his team have met some Malaysian Authorities and Investors who were ready to invest in Beaches, Agriculture and Waste Management in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.

Mr Kurentsir Sam disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of the Ghana Business and Investment Forum, a side event organised at the just ended 2018 Ninth Session of the UN-Habitat World Urban Forum (WUF9) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on the theme: “Ghana’s Industrialisation Programme: Opportunities and Transformation Partners in trade and Industry.”It was organised by the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Partnership with the Ghana Free Zones Board and the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre in partnership with the Malaysian Chamber of Commerce.

The WUF9 is on the theme: “Cities 2030, Cities for All: Implementing the New Urban Agenda” focused on the New Urban Agenda as a tool and accelerator for achieving Agenda 2030 and the SDGs

It is the key platform to discuss the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and the urban dimension of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and was one of the most opened gatherings in the international arena.

The WUF9 mobilises urban actors in national governments, sub-national and local governments, civil society, private sector and academia to share knowledge and solutions for sustainable urban development; facilitate stakeholders’ inputs to monitoring and reporting on the New Urban Agenda and facilitate strong multi-stakeholder partnerships.The New Urban Agenda was adopted in October 2016 at the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development – Habitat III in Quito, Ecuador and was a result of a unique consensus among all participating states.

He said his team had established a sister-city relationship with Foundation Avina, a Malaysian City, and some development initiative meetings with PLANMalaysia, the Department of Town and Planning of Malaysia and the sustainable Urban Development Section, Environment and Development Division of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia Pacific.

“We have also engaged some investors who will want to come and invest in high rise buildings in our Metropolis.” Mr Sam said there were a lot of experiences acquired at the Forum by his team on planning and development which would make an impact on the performance of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, adding that, “Planning is very important in every aspect of development.”

He said with the experiences gathered, Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis would emulate the example of Malaysia and planning for the influx of population for economic activities in every city was vital.

He said Ghana had performed creditably well at the forum and the presence of the Ghanaian team was felt and that had given them the opportunity to meet the business community in Malaysia. “What we have also learnt there is an opportunity for us to sensitise our people to change their attitudes towards a lot of things happening in our various areas and the country at large.”

The New Urban Agenda lays out the vision for future cities based on the science of urban development providing tools in crucial areas.The WUF was created in 2002 to bring countries together to discuss issues that are critical to the management of urban areas through a sustainable urban development and cities and  is the world’s premier conference on urban issues, established in 2001 by the United Nations.

By Amadu Kamil Sanah, GNA Special Correspondent, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia