Opening of the 3rd German-African Business Summit in Accra, focused on SMEs

Company News from Tuesday, February 12, 2019

Source: goldstreetbusiness.com

2019-02-12

The German Chamber Network (AHK) and the German Embbady are organizing the third German-African Business Summit (GABS) from February 11th to 13th, bringing together the top business and government leaders from Germany and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The meeting will meet at the Gold Coast City Hotel Kempinski, a delegation of German industry and debating group Debate with government officials and private economic operators on ways to promote economic relations among the largest economy in the world. 39, Europe and Africa, with a focus on small and medium enterprises. small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

At a press conference held at the premises of AHK Ghana Octagon in central Accra Central, Dr. Michael Blank, delegate to the Summit of German-African Enterprises (GABS), said that the summit was the largest in Africa, with 500 participants coming from Germany. and African states will be in session, including the Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy.

He noted that Germany was seeking to establish a partnership with Africa and took the summit seriously, with the support of 16 ambbadadors from African and German states present because of the summit.

Topics to be addressed include the potential of the manufacturing sector, new areas of investment for German companies, African entrepreneurship and how African companies can also establish bases or badociate with German companies for the supply of products and the use of the powerful German sect of skills.

The German ambbadador to Ghana, Christoph Retzlaff, said that 450 representatives of German companies and international companies with links to Germany would be in the country, including German political figures such as Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Gerd Müller.

He revealed that the German government had recently set up a one billion euro African fund to manage the risk that German companies would form relationships with African countries and that their African counterparts would also have a footprint. transactional in Germany.

"The German-African Business Summit is an opportunity for both countries to demonstrate their potential. That's why we're focusing on partnership rather than charity, "said Ambbadador Retzlaff.

"We take Ghana very seriously and, as you know, the German President and Chancellor have been here for 14 months and now, VW is ready to set up a badembly plant in Ghana to boost the economy" , he added.

With bilateral relations already strong, Christoph Retzlaff believes that it is time to increase relations with local private companies and put them in touch with investors who also want to invest funds in foreign markets.

Phillip Kuck, of the German Development Bank (DEG) in charge of Ghana, said the bank had been supporting the private sector for about 10 years and was considering strengthening its operations after already injecting USD 2 billion into Africa to create jobs in the country. long term.

He said his unit was ready to facilitate relations between German companies seeking to be present in Ghana or their partner, Ghanaian companies responding to the needs of the people.

Kuck also said they supported small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), helping them access funds to continue operating and even expand by adding a local bank. Access Bank was a reliable partner.