The 2nd Ghana Malta Business Forum was organized on the 2nd of March 2020 at the Movenpick Hotel in Accra, to bring some Maltese and Ghanaian companies together to connect, network and forge business alliances for mutual benefits.
CEO of the GIPC- Mr. Yofi Grant welcomed all participants and stated that the Centre is working at having Air Malta, Malta’s national carrier, to begin operations to Ghana this year.
He said “We are looking to see Air Malta operate its roots here. We first of all need to fully appreciate the business opportunity and finalize the type of arrangement we want as well as the type of regulatory framework needed among other things. Maybe they want to come to Accra directly or use Accra as a transit point and vice versa. We are looking at having the airline start operating by the end of the second quarter.”
The Forum saw the signing of Five Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) between multiple Ghanaian Institutions such as the Ghana Standards Authority, Impact Hub Ghana, Accra Technical University, AZOFA Akosombo Fisheries Cooperative and some Maltese outfits including the Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology, Malta Medicines Authority, and Malta Enterprise, for knowledge exchange among others.
Speaking at the event, Hon. Alan Kyeremanten, the Ghanaian Minister of Trade and Industry stated that “The bonds of friendship that have existed between Ghana & Malta over several decades have been based on shared values, our common historical heritage and mutual respect.”
Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small Businesses in Malta, Silvio Schembri, asserted that Ghana must consider Malta as its home in Europe; a partnership of growth and economic prospects.
In July 2019, the GIPC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Malta Enterprise, Malta’s economic development agency, to collaborate in setting up information-sharing mechanisms by regularly exchanging information on economic and trade updates, laws and regulations, policy measures, industrial standards and trends, market analysis reports, exhibitions and forums, trade leads as well as investment projects in Ghana and Malta.
The MoU empowers both parties to set up a strategic think-tank composed of officers from both agencies and partnered stakeholders who will devise a three-year strategy covering areas of mutual interest.
Source: GIPC