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German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, to visit Ghana in August 2018
The German Ambassador to Ghana, Mr. Christoph Retzaff announced that the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Angela Merkel, will visit Ghana in August 2018 upon invitation of H.E. the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
In a press conference held at the Germany Embassy Accra on July 10, 2018, the German Ambassador to Ghana, Mr. Christoph Retzaff announced that the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Angela Merkel, will visit Ghana in August 2018 upon invitation of H.E. the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Chancellor Merkel will be accompanied by the German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Gerd Müller, and a high-level business delegation.
The visit to Ghana will be the first of a German Chancellor to Ghana since 2004. This visit underlines the strong and deepening partnership between Ghana and Germany. President Akufo-Addo met Chancellor Merkel already two times in Berlin in June 2017 and February 2018. German President Steinmeier was in Ghana for a state visit in December 2017.
The visit will focus on economic cooperation and on promoting investment and business in Ghana said Ambassador Retzlaff adding that it will also be an opportunity to discuss and take stock of the G20 “Compact with Africa Initiative”, launched in June 2017 in Berlin under Germany´s G20 presidency. The Compact with Africa aims at bringing more private investment to the 10 African partner countries, amongst which Ghana is a front runner.
Germany is supporting Ghana through long-standing development cooperation programmes as well as a new bilateral “Investment and Reform Partnership”, which was launched in December 2017 and brings additional 100 million Euro of German development funds to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency in Ghana, and to foster private investment into renewable energy as well as vocational training in the energy sector. The Reform and Investment Partnership supports Germany’s commitments under the G20 Compact with Africa.
Ambassador Retzlaff further stated that another highlight of German-Ghanaian relations will be the “German African Business Summit (GABS)” in Accra from February 11-13, 2019. GABS is the German signature business event in Africa. Top business and government leaders from Germany and Sub-Sahara Africa meet every two years in Africa to promote economic relations between Europe’s largest economy and the fastest growing region in the world. Up to 750 leaders, decision makers and business representatives are expected to participate.
©German Embassy Ghana