The American Chamber of Commerce-Ghana (AMCHAM) has held a roundtable meeting with U.S Deputy Trade Africa Coordinator to discuss the role of American businesses in promoting foreign direct investment into the country. Eleven companies in the ICT, Agribusiness and infrastructure sectors of Ghana met with the Ms. Alicia Robinson-Morgan, the U.S Deputy Trade Africa Coordinator
Ms. Alicia Robinson-Morgan is in the country to appraise the status of implementation of the Trade Africa Expansion Initiative in Ghana. Trade Africa is an initiative of the US Government that targets key barriers to trade and investment; and promotes regional integration and trade competitiveness, specifically aiming to increase intra-regional African trade and exports to the US and reducing the time it takes to import or export from ports to land-locked interiors on the continent.
Discussions between AMCHAM members and the Deputy Coordinator bordered on challenges businesses faced
operating in the country which included the proper definition and application of local content laws; contracts and contracts enforcement in light of change of government; and transparency issues in public procurement. Other issues were: the number of regulatory agencies and requirements for operating in certain sectors and the attendant cost of obtaining the required licenses, currency issues and the increasing burden of taxes, fees and charges.
Executive Secretary of AMCHAM Simon Madjie stated that “our objective is to bring prosperity to our two nations through free enterprise and so, we welcome any discussion aimed at improving the business environment and making Ghana one of the easiest places in the world to do business”
About Trade Africa
Trade Africa is a US Government Initiative to strengthen the U.S. relationship with Africa in order to significantly expand U.S.–African private and public sector collaboration to increase trade with and within Africa. In Ghana Trade Africa is supporting the Government of Ghana and private sector stakeholders to implement and be compliant with the World Trade Organization’s Agreements on Facilitation; Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) Measures; and Technical Barrier to Trade; as well as to implement Policies and Programs to Facilitate Trade, Investment and Regional Integration.
About American Chamber of Commerce
The American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana is the representative arm of U.S businesses in the Country and was formally established in 1997 to promote trade and investment between the United States of America and the Republic of Ghana. Its main objective is to contribute to the economic development of the country through the creation of a vibrant private sector. The Chamber is also affiliated to the U.S Chamber of Commerce, which is the world’s largest trade association with over three million members and 117 affiliate chapters around the globe.