Ghana’s Ambassador-Designate to Algeria, Edward Kwaku Cofie, has embarked on high-level engagements to strengthen trade and investment ties between Ghana and Algeria, with a focus on industrial collaboration and value-added manufacturing.
As part of these efforts, Ambassador Cofie met with Mr. Mohamed Djebbar, the Chief Executive Officer of Sarl Reine des Zibansa, at the company’s manufacturing facility in Regalia, near Algiers.
The discussions revolved around opportunities for expanding bilateral trade, industrial partnerships, and investment, particularly within the aluminium value chain.
During the meeting, Ambassador Cofie encouraged Algerian companies to capitalize on Ghana’s stable political environment, investor-friendly policies, and its strategic location in West Africa.
He emphasized Ghana’s role as a gateway to the ECOWAS market and highlighted the country’s hosting of the AfCFTA Secretariat, providing access to a continental market of over 1.3 billion people.
The Ambassador-Designate assured Sarl Reine des Zibansa of the Ghana Embassy’s commitment to facilitating business linkages, regulatory engagement, and partnerships with Ghana’s public and private sectors. These efforts aim to bolster economic cooperation between the two countries.
Despite strong diplomatic relations, Ghana-Algeria trade has remained modest. Ambassador Cofie noted significant potential to diversify trade volumes and strengthen industrial ties, particularly in manufacturing and minerals-based value addition.
He underscored the importance of leveraging the AfCFTA to reduce reliance on extra-continental markets and promote African industrialisation.
Sarl Reine des Zibansa, a company specializing in processing aluminium ingots, expressed interest in importing high-purity aluminium ingots from Ghana. Mr. Djebbar confirmed his company’s broader interest in Ghanaian products, marking aluminium ingots as a starting point for future trade.
Both parties agreed to continue discussions aimed at enhancing industrial cooperation, boosting trade volumes, and supporting the objectives of the AfCFTA, a significant step in deepening Ghana-Algeria economic relations.