The forum addressed issues such as    investment opportunities, the conducive environment for doing business, as well as an interaction session to address the various concerns of patrons.

With the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, as the special guest, the event, which was held at the Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Rome, attracted about 300 patrons, including the Director for sub- Saharan Africa at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Giuseppe Mistretta.

Also in attendance were dignitaries from the host Italian foreign ministry, members of the diplomatic corps, international and Ghanaian companies, traditional leaders, businessmen and the Ghanaian community.

Event

The event was intended to serve as a strategic way to showcase opportunities in Ghana to the people of Italy.

It was used to attract investors to Ghana and also make them aware of the numerous economic opportunities available.

It also served as a platform to showcase the country’s rich culture and heritage.

There were various made-in-Ghana goods on display and Ghanaian companies in attendance, as part of the programme.

Dignitaries were treated to a rich display of Ghanaian cultural performances.

The month-long commemoration began with a flag-raising ceremony to mark Ghana’s 66th anniversary on March 6 and climaxed on April 1.

Economic challenge

In her address, Ms Ayorkor Botchwey said although the country experienced a challenging year in 2022 as a result of the post-COVID-19 impact and other external forces that inflicted various hardships globally, the government was determined to address the impact of the global economic downturn.

“Government has since instituted a number of interventions to resolve these concerns and we remain confident that we will see the results of relief and recovery very soon.

“As His Excellency, the President of the Republic has always reiterated, “This too shall pass,” she said.

 She said under the leadership of President Akufo- Addo, the country was witnessing significant economic transformation with various programmes which were helping to lay a strong foundation for an economic rebound after the rather challenging 2022.

“ Indeed our economic growth rebounded making Ghana among the fastest-growing economies in the world for three years in a row …

We expect the year 2023 to be one of hope and joy,” she said.

The Ghana Ambassador to Italy, Merene Botsio Benyah, called on Ghanaians  to unite and rally behind the government’s impactful economic transformational programmes in order to realise the country’s aspirations.

Speaking on Ghana’s conducive and investor-friendly business environment, the ambassador said the ongoing programmes had positioned Ghana as a “frontier for industrialisation and manufacturing in the region.”

Ms Botsio Benyah also indicated that industrialisation would add value to the natural produce that Ghana was endowed with and would create employment and stimulate export opportunities.

She emphasised that Ghana’s foreign missions abroad had a role to play in identifying opportunities in Ghana and to attract investors for partnerships. 

Support

The mission expressed appreciation to the Ghanaian businesses who participated and supported to make the event a success.

These included the Ghana International Bank, Zeepay, Sienna Services Ltd, EMH Global Ltd, Team Engineering, Flash Box Srl and Showbiz Global Concert.

Also, the  Ghana Export Import Bank, Urepa, Abici, Cartarredo and the Diplomatic Affairs TV show on Pan African Television .