GHANA AT GLANCE

Indo-Ghanaian relations have traditionally been warm and friendly. India opened its representative office in Accra in 1953, prior to Ghana’s independence and established full- fledged diplomatic relations with Ghana in 1957, immediately after it attained independence.

Visits from India: The State Visit of Hon’ble Rashtrapathiji to Ghana from 12-14 June 2016, the first-ever by an Indian Head of State, further strengthened the bilateral ties between India and Ghana. Three agreements/MoUs signed during the visit were: (i) MoU on Establishment   of a Joint Commission; (ii)MoU on cooperation between Foreign Service Institute, Ministry of External Affairs and the Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation; and

(iii) an Agreement for Exemption of Visas for holders of Diplomatic and service passports. The only other VVIP visit from India was that of the PM Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao, accompanied by a high level delegation on 8-9 November 1995.

Minister of State, Shri M.J. Akbar, visited Ghana (14 -16 August 2017) for Freedom 70 celebrations. He had bilateral meeting with Ghanaian FM and called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. MoS (MJA), along with Ghanaian FM laid foundation stone of  the Foreign Service Institute under a GoI Line of Credit; inaugurated Namaskar Africa Trade exhibition; inaugurated an Odissi Dance Performance on the eve of 15^th August; met former  UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Visits from Ghana: President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo paid a visit to India to participate in the Founding Conference of International Solar Alliance held at New Delhi on 11 March, 2018. President Akufo-Addo met Hon. Prime Minister on the sidelines of the Summit. He was accompanied by Foreign Minister Ms. Shirley Ayorkar Botchwey. President John Dramani Mahama, accompanied by a high-level delegation, participated in 3^rd India-Africa Forum Summit at New Delhi (October, 2015) and held bilateral meeting with PM Narendra Modi. FM Ms. Hannah Tetteh, who was part of the delegation met with EAM Smt. Sushma Swaraj. Minister of Trade & Industry, Dr. Ekwow Spio Garbrah, participated in the Trade Ministers Meeting on the sidelines of the Summit. President John Kufuor paid two visits to  India in August 2002 and April 2008. During 2002, visit four bilateral agreements relating to (i) setting up of a Centre of Excellence for Training in ICT in Accra (became operational in Dec 2003); (ii) Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement;(iii) Protocol on Consultations between MEA and Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and (iv) Cultural and Scientific Exchange Programme, were signed. In April 2008, President Kufuor visited New Delhi to participate in India-Africa Forum Summit. Earlier, President Nkrumah visited in 1961 and President Limann in 1981. President Rawlings made a stopover in Mumbai on his way from Beijing in 1993, and again visited in 1997 to attend the funeral of Mother Teresa. In addition, there were several Ministerial visits, including that of the Foreign Minister for  the  NAM Ministerial Conference in April 1986.

Ghana has been participating at high-level at the CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on India-Africa Project Partnership regularly. Minister of Trade & Industry led a 9-member delegation to the conclave held at Jaipur (January 2015) and met Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, then MoS for

Commerce & Industry; Vice President Amissah-Arthur, accompanied by Minister for Trade & Industry & Deputy Minister for Agriculture (March 2016) for 11^th CII-EXIM Bank India-Africa Conclave, where Ghana was the Focus Country. Rt. Hon Mike Oquaye, Snr, Speaker accompanied by Minister of Food &Agriculture participated at 12^th CII-EXIM Bank conclave (March 2017); Minister of Business Development, led a 11-member delegation, comprising of Minister for Works & Housing, Regional Minister of State and Deputy Minister Railways, at the 13^th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on India-Africa Project Partnership at New Delhi (March, 2018).

There have been regular Ministerial visits from Ghana to India. The Agriculture Minister visited India to attend the Annual Meeting of the African Development Bank held in Ahmedabad (May 2017). Former President John Mahama participated at the African Development Bank Annual Meeting as a special invitee of the AfDB and briefly met Hon. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Minister of Communications participated at the Global Conference on Cyberspace at New Delhi (November 2017); Deputy Minister for Communications participated in the International Business Expo organized by GoI in collaboration with Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council at New Delhi (February 2018); Deputy Minister of Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation participated in the World Sustainable Development Summit at New Delhi (February 2018); Minister of Trade and Industry visited India (March 2018) and participated in CII and PHD Chamber of Commerce business interaction organized by the Ghanaian High Commission. Deputy Minister  of  Trade participated at the Informal Gathering of Ministers Responsible for World Trade  Organisation  at New Delhi (March 2018).

H.E. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration paid an official visit to India from 16-18 July, 2018. EAM met the FM of Ghana on 18 July and had delegation level talks. Two MoUs on (i) Cultural Exchange Programme for the period 2018- 2022; and (ii) MoU between the Bureau of Indian Standards and Ghana Standards Authority, were signed during the visit. Hon’ble Ms. Cecelia Abena Dapaah, Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources accompanied by Deputy Minister of Sanitation & Water attended the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention at New Delhi (29 Sept-2 Oct 2018); Deputy Minister of Energy, Mr.  William Owuraku Aidoo participated at the 1^st General Assembly of the International Solar Alliance at New Delhi (2-5 October 2018); Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry represented Ghana at CII-EXIM Bank India-West Africa Regional Conclave held at Abuja, Nigeria on 8-9 October, 2018; Hon’ble Ms. Cecelia Abena Dapaah, Minister of Sanitation and Water  Resources attended India Water Impact Summit at New   Delhi (5-7 December 2018).

Commercial relations: Ghana was included as one of the 9 West African countries under the GOI’s TEAM 9 initiative launched in 2004. India has been supporting Ghana’s development    by providing Lines of Credit and grants for setting up projects. So far,  India has extended  LoCs amounting to about US$433 million to Ghana for various developmental projects  covering diverse sectors like waste management, railway equipment, agro-processing, supply of potable water etc., some of which have been completed while a few are at various stages   of implementation. Among these are India-Ghana Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence for ICT, set up with assistance from India under ‘Aid to Africa’; the Flag Staff House (Presidential Complex); the Pan African E-Network Project and Rural Electrification Project. Two projects under EXIM Bank of India LoC were successfully commissioned in 2016 – Komenda Sugar Plant on 30 March 2016 (US$35 million) and Elmina Fish Harvest & Processing plant on 29 November 2016 (US$21 million). A LoC facility for supply of 104 fire tenders to Ghana

National Fire Services was also completed on 3 December 2016. Govt. of Ghana signed a Buyers’ Credit agreement with EXIM Bank of India for US$398.33 million for the Tema- Akosombo railway line on 22 November 2016. A Foreign Policy Training Institute is also being established through a LoC funding of US$ 5 million from India. The US$150 million LoC, (already approved by GoI) towards agricultural mechanization, was approved by  the  Ghanaian Parliament in July 2018. Another proposed LoC for US $ 30 million, (already approved by GoI) towards supply of potable water is awaiting necessary approvals from Ghana. Two Solar Projects were approved at the Founding conference of the International Solar Alliance, the proposal for solar street light with LED lights (US$ 34.8 million) and solar powered mini-grids for island and forest zone communities (US $ 6.3 million through EBID).

There has been an increase in investments by Indian companies in Ghana in sectors like construction, manufacturing, trading, services and tourism and in areas such  as  steel,  cement, plastics, pharmaceuticals, ICT, agro-processing and agricultural machinery, electrical equipments, chemicals, etc. A number of Indian companies are establishing their presence in Ghana, both from the public as well as from the private sector viz. Tata, Ashok Leyland, Mahindra & Mahindra, Escorts, Larson & Toubro, Bharti Airtel, NIIT, M/s Shapoorji Pallonji& Co., as well as several pharmaceutical companies.

According to Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Indian companies had invested in more than 600 projects with total investment of US$ 998 million between September 1994- September 2014 making India the second largest foreign investor country in Ghana in terms   of number of projects and 9^th according to value of FDI in Ghana. In 2015, Indian investments were to the tune of US $ 40.32 million in 13 projects. In 2017, registered Indian projects numbered 22 with an FDI value of US $ 453.75 million.

Bilateral Trade crossed US$ 1 billion mark for the first time in 2011-12. Beginning 2014-15, trade balance has shifted in favour of Ghana. The trade figures for last few years are:

(in US$ million)

(Source: Department of Commerce, Government of India)

Ghana’s main (traditional) exports are gold, cocoa, nuts and timber products. Gold accounted for nearly 81% of the total imports by India from Ghana. India’s major exports  to Ghana  include pharmaceuticals, agricultural machinery, transport vehicles, electrical equipment, plastics, iron & steel, ethyl alcohol, beverages & spirits, cereals, made-up textiles etc.

ITEC:Ghana has been a beneficiary of India’s assistance in human resource development through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC). Ghanaians have been utilizing slots under various other schemes, including ICCR scholarships and capacity building courses offered by IIFT and IAFS Plan of Action.

Cultural relations: To commemorate 60 years of establishment of diplomatic relations  between India and Ghana, the 1^st Festival of India in Ghana–‘Maitri’ was organized (25 January-13 March 2017) in collaboration with Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts of Ghana. The Festival showcased multifaceted aspects of Indian culture with an inauguration of “Samanvay”– a dance amalgamation by Lok Chhanda Cultural Unit on the eve of 68^th Republic Day at the National Theatre. The group also performed in Tokarodi, Cape Coast and Kumasi. Food Festival – ‘Spice  Route’ was held  (10-16 February) at Hotel Kempinski along with a Indian Sufi Music show by Dr. Mamata Joshi Group. A Film Festival, screening three popular Bollywood movies, was held at India House (24  -26  February 2017). The Festival of India in Ghana concluded with another classical Indian dance show ‘Saptarang” by Neeru Sabharwal Group (11-13 March), which gave three performances  in Accra, Koforidua and Kumasi. Yoga lecture-cum-demonstrations were also organized  as part of the Festival in various locations.

Important days such as Ekta Diwas, Constitution Day, World Hindi Diwas, Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas, birth anniversary of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay,  Swachta  Abhiyan  (Diwas/campaign) are celebrated by the Mission with the participation of Indian community. In 2017, International Day of Non-Violence was celebrated with organization of a peace walk, attended by members of diplomatic corps, Indian community, media and local Ghanaians. Medical supplies were donated, in collaboration with the Indian pharmaceutical companies, to Gandhi Ward at the 37 Military Hospital. A Shanti yagna was also organized at the India  House. To mark the launch of year long celebrations  of Gandhi @150, the  Mission held a series  of events on 2 October, 2018 which began with the donation of a water tank to the maternity wing, “Gandhi Ward” of 37 Military Hospital, Accra and OTC drugs provided by Accra-based Indian pharmaceutical companies, presentation of cheque of US$1million to Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT and symbolic gift of two footballs and 150 kgs of rice to the juvenile correctional home – James Camp Prison in Accra. In the evening another function was organised  at which the former President of Ghana John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor was the Chief Guest. During  the function commemorative stamps on Mahatma Gandhi were released, video of the bhajan “Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye” sung by singers of Ghana and other accredited countries, Sierra Leone, Togo and Burkina Faso as well as the medley version of the bhajan by artists from over 40 countries, launched during the closing ceremony of the MGISC by Hon’ble PM, was  also  screened. The High Commission organised a peace walk on 7 October 2018, followed by an ‘on  the spot’ painting competition on Mahatma Gandhi.

The International Day of Yoga is being celebrated with great enthusiasm since 2015. The  event is attended by a large number of people that included senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, Indian Community and local Ghanaians. Mission has  a   Yoga Centre manned by a Yoga teacher deputed by ICCR since  March 2016 and  regular  Yoga classes are conducted, apart from outreach programmes to promote Yoga.

Indian community: The Indian community in Ghana is estimated at about 10,000. Some of them have been in Ghana for over 70 years. The business activities of Indians in Ghana have contributed in a major way to Ghana’s economic development. Indian Associations are active

in  organizing  Indian  festivities.      There are a Hindu temple, a Gurudwara, and a Hindu Monastery in Ghana.

Mission actively supports the local Indian Associations and various regional associations.

Source: mea.gov.in