Germany sponsors trade missions to Ghana

Source: Daily Graphic Ghana  -  The German private sector is to offer cutting-edge technology to help the country solve some challenges in the energy, health and sanitation sectors....

Starting from today, a high powered trade delegation with interest in solar energy and off grid power solutions, backed by the German Federal State, will be in the country to explore partnerships with local counterparts.
The delegation is a tailor-made trade mission with selected Business to Business (B2B) meetings and a conference today. This is based on an intensive market report conducted by the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Ghana (AHK Ghana) to analyse the biogas market for the German Ministry of Economics and Energy.

The Delegate of the German Industry and Commerce in Ghana, Mr Patrick Martens, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in Accra, said the trade mission would be a precursor to the third West African Clean Energy and Environment Exhibition and Conferences (WACEE) 2015.

The annual exhibition and conferences provide latest technology solutions to clean energy, by water treatment and supply, as well as sanitation. Mr Martens said for the first time in West and Central Africa, the German government was sponsoring 21 companies to participate in WACEE'15 under the German Pavilion, Germany's official brand name.

Besides, another federal state, the North Rhine Wesphelia (NRW), which regularly participates in such fairs in Ghana, is also sponsoring companies to participate in the fair, bringing to 28 the total number of German companies set to participate in the February 10-12 exhibition and conferences slated for the Accra International Conference Centre. It is on the theme; "Advancing Policy and Business Collaboration".

AHK Ghana is organising the fair in collaboration with three parastatal organisation of Germany, including the Konrad-Adenauer Foundation, the German technical cooperation (GIZ), under its Project Development Programme (PDP) within the “renewables-Made-in Germany” initiative under the auspices of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The event also enjoys the partnership of GIZ-North Rhine-Westphalia.

Mr Martens said there were exhibitors also from eight other European countries. In all, 53 exhibitors are expected to interact with about 1,400 visitors who would be at WACEE'15. Ghana has deficits in waste management, water supply, energy delivery and other infrastructure that spur growth and improve the quality of life.

The exhibition, trade missions and the high interest of German and European business interest in Ghana’s economy is significantly due to extensive market research by AHK Ghana, showcasing Ghana’s renewable energy potential and its growing space of business friendly laws and regulations.

Besides the Made-in-Germany pavilion, Germany will also send a 16-company trade mission, with interest in infrastructure, to the country during WACEE’15. This means within two weeks from today, close to 50 German companies will visit the country to explore business opportunities.

The mission will also organise a high profile technical sensitisation and hands-on training for experts and engineers in the field of solar technology and also hold match-making discussions with interested companies in the country. Explaining the conferences, the Delegate of German Industry and Commerce in Ghana said the Konrad Adeneur Foundation would facilitate a ‘Scientific Debate’ on Renewable Energy on Conference Day-One, drawing speakers from across West and Central Africa.

The renewables Made-in-Germany would take the centre stage on conference day two when the German Economic Affairs and Energy brings speakers, companies and policy makers together as the German technology explores how such solution could be harnessed to spur growth in Ghana and other West African countries.

Waste management and recycling, including cutting-edge solutions available would be the focus when the Federal State of NRW facilitates the conference day three at WACEE’15.

Mr Martens added German development financiers such as the KfW Group would launch an important financial project during the exhibition, while French company Total would also make a crucial announcement on its intentions to venture into solar power projects in the country.