Ghana and Canada have agreed on five areas of cooperation covering youth employment, skills development, peacekeeping, women’s financing and sustainable mining following talks between Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Canadian Secretary of State for International Development Randeep Sarai.
The proposed partnership will also support the establishment of Ghana’s Women’s Development Bank and strengthen the country’s capacity to promote legal and environmentally sustainable mining.
Mr Ablakwa announced the outcomes after what he described as positive and meaningful discussions with Mr Sarai, who he said had demonstrated strong interest in Ghana by making it his first destination after his appointment last year.
Under the agreement, the two countries will explore labour mobility and skills development opportunities for young people, with emphasis on digital literacy, internationally recognised job certifications, energy transition and technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
Canada will also provide technical support towards establishing Ghana’s Women’s Development Bank, an initiative aimed at improving access to finance for women.
The two countries further agreed to deepen cooperation with the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre to strengthen its contribution to regional stability and counterterrorism efforts.
On the environmental front, Ghana and Canada will collaborate on modern environmental protection and land reclamation as Ghana pursues more sustainable mining practices.
The fifth area of cooperation involves plans for a broader Africa-Canada dialogue next year to align shared development priorities.
According to Mr Ablakwa, the discussions will focus on trade, industrialisation, railway development and value addition, reflecting Africa’s ambition to accelerate economic transformation through investment and productive partnerships rather than aid dependence.
The latest engagements outline a broad agenda for Ghana-Canada cooperation, although details on implementation timelines, funding commitments and the specific mechanisms for delivering the proposed initiatives were not provided in the announcement.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
