Following a high-level meeting with the UK Trade Envoy to Ghana, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, and Akosua Dentaa Amoateng MBE, has announced commitment to enhancing relations with Ghana toward making the West African state a key strategic partner in the Commonwealth.
The announcement was made during a meeting to finalize the bilateral agreement between Ghana and the UK. During the meeting, Ribeiro-Addy, Ghanaian by descent, reminded the Ghanaian Finance Minister, Dr. Cassie Ato Forson, that the UK is seeking a reset of relations with Ghana, not from the standpoint of a former colony but as a valued economic partner, thus underscoring the imperative for growth and prosperity together.
In response, Dr. Forson warmly embraced the renewed interest of the UK and added that such cooperation could reactivate stalled development programs, many suffering from delays due to debt restructuring. He called for the speedy finalization of a bilateral agreement with the UK that could be compared to one secured recently with France to fast-track the rollout of really important projects.
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Beyond trade and investment, a range of technical compliance aspects were also examined, especially in the area of tax reform. Ghana is looking to have a complete overhaul of its VAT regime, while Dr. Forson expressed an interest in engaging with the UK on matters regarding this, particularly any possible partnership arrangements between HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
The meeting ended on an optimistic note with both sides expressing belief that the dialogue would lead to concrete results very soon that would facilitate economic transformation and consolidate the solid historical ties between the two countries.
