Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Victor Emmanuel Smith, has urged Philadelphia business leaders and policy officials to deepen commercial ties with Ghana, stressing that trade opportunities extend far beyond cocoa, the commodity that has long linked both economies.
Addressing stakeholders at a high-level meeting in Washington, D.C., Ambassador Smith reaffirmed Ghana’s drive toward a dynamic, inclusive, and investor-friendly marketplace. He noted ongoing economic reforms designed to unlock private sector growth and attract long-term, sustainable investment.
“Ghana is open and ready for business,” he declared. “We are inviting our partners in the United States, including Pennsylvania, to join us in creating opportunities that bring shared prosperity and long-term development.”
The engagement, co-led by Florence Porson-Hart, Director of Commerce for the City of Philadelphia — served as a direct bridge between U.S. decision-makers and Ghana’s investment landscape. Porson-Hart coordinated discussions and helped shape a focused agenda centered on trade expansion and industrial collaboration.
Business executives and Pennsylvania government officials also took part, including Webster Marketing International CEO David Webster, who underscored the potential for deeper value-addition and industrial partnerships.
“Cocoa has connected our economies for decades, but we see tremendous potential in agro-processing, food technology, and services,” Webster said. “Ghana has so much more to offer, and we are excited to explore these new avenues.”
Harold T. Epps, Advisor to the Patents of Commerce for the City of Philadelphia, emphasized the need for development partnerships that generate real impact, while Yvonne Boye, Deputy Director of Commerce, reiterated Philadelphia’s commitment to inclusive trade that supports community-level economic growth.
Discussions spanned a broad range of sectors – from agriculture, irrigation technology, mechanization, and agro-processing for cocoa, cashew, shea, rice, and poultry, to tourism, hospitality, ICT, renewable energy, healthcare, and light manufacturing.
Ambassador Smith assured participants that Ghana stands ready to back investors with friendly policies, growth-oriented reforms, and direct collaboration with both government and private industry.
The meeting concluded with strong interest from Pennsylvania representatives in organizing business missions to Ghana, a promising step that aligns with Ghana’s evolving sub-national diplomacy and its growing status as a strategic gateway for sustainable investment in West Africa.
Source: kumasimail.com
