Ayorkor Botchwey woos Israeli investors

In pursuit of Ghana's economic transformation agenda which is anchored on industrialisation and trade, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, is in Israel to woo Israeli investors.

The Minister held a meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, during which he informed him that Ghana had a population of 30 million, with 60 per cent of them being in the youthful bracket.

She told the Israeli Premier that with the skilful youthful population, coupled with Ghana's resources, it would be mutually beneficial if Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and agribusiness companies from Israel invested in Ghana.

A release made available to Graphic Online said the minister touched on the investment climate and assured the Israelis that the government of Ghana had put in place laws that protected the interest of investors.

The release urged them to put Ghana high on the map of investment.

It said Prime Minister Netanyahu described Ghana's economic strides made in the last 20 months as very impressive.

Mr Netanyahu lauded Ghana for the eight per cent economic growth and pledged to increase Israeli investment in Ghana, the release noted.

The statement disclosed that Mr Netanyahu said his government was prepared to scale up its investment in Africa, and that Ghana was one of the countries Israel wanted to do business with.

He added that he was looking forward to host President Akufo Addo in Israel in the first quarter of 2019.

Mr Netanyahu commended the President for his leadership and stressed that he wanted to ensure that the bond of friendship between the two countries was taken to another height in order to better the lot of their citizens.

Background

Ghana and Israel have had long-standing relations which dates back to the 1950s.

Ghana was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to recognise Israel in 1958.

The then Israeli Prime Minister, Golda Meie, and Dr Kwame Nkrumah were very good friends.

The first presidential aircraft used by President Nkrumah was given to Ghana by Israel.