The government of Ghana, at the instance of the UNDP will be hosting some African leaders and a total of 45 UNDP Representatives from Sub-Saharan Africa to strengthen UNDP’s support for African countries towards achieving their national development aspirations, the African Union’s Agenda 2063 as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

It will also examine how best the UNDP can champion advocacy and discourse on the future of Africa’s development based on the continent’s “Beyond Aid Agenda” which is being actively championed by the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Receiving a delegation from the UNDP at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in Accra on Friday, 18 October 2019, Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey emphasised that the government in furtherance of its unwavering commitment to the UNDP and the UN system as a whole, and her determination to promote continental development with Africa’s own resources, will play the essential supportive role for the holding of a successful cluster meeting in Ghana.

“So for me this is good news that you’ve chosen Ghana to be the destination for this all very important series of meeting which will start with the president dialogue and I'm happy to note that African future beyond aid is the theme around it. You are right when you say that the president feels strongly and it is a policy that we work towards a Ghana beyond aid and by extension Africa beyond aid and when you look at the UN SDGS, they are all pointing towards that direction and translating into the AU agenda 23. It’s all aimed towards an Africa beyond aid because if we are able to work on all these goals and we make progress or achieve them I think what we will have is an Africa that is self-sufficient”, she said.

Shedding more light on the activities lined up for the forum a member of the UNDP delegation Dr. Sheila Ochugboju explained that the event draws upon the vision of President Nana Akufo-Addo who is currently championing a Ghana Beyond Aid agenda hence the decision to headline him for the forum.

“You (Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey) have already laid the backdrop of why Ghana is the place to have this conversation and how the president has already framed a rather provocative statement which is the future beyond aid but it is the elephant in the room in many places. How can we reach the self-sustaining futures? So It’s just an honor for us to be able to utilise this time to bring other leaders to a platform where he can inspire the world,” she said.

The beyond aid agenda will have sideline events focusing on others sectors including the creative industry, trade and industry, music, fashion, governance, culture, climate change and will also feature traditional leaders, top football stars, athletes including Kenyan long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge and Nigerian investor and Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote.