Accra June 12, GNA- A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which seeks to commence the establishment of a Ghana-France Business Council (GFBC) in the country was on Thursday signed in Accra. The GFBC is to enhance private sector bilateral trade investment relations and create suitable climate for joint investment projects which would address the urgent needs of the continent. Mr Osei Boeh-Ocansey, Director General, Private Enterprise Foundation (PEF) and Patrick Lucas, president, Africa Committee, Mouvement Des Enteprises De France (MEDEF) signed for Ghana and France respectively. Association of Ghana Industries, Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ghana Chamber of Mines and Federation of Association of Ghanaian Exporters are some of the beneficiaries under the MOU. Mr Boeh-Ocansey said the PEF and MEDEF desired to expand and improve mutual relations in the field of economic and trade co-operation. He said that one of the goals of the MOU was to create development goals among Ghanaian and French companies.

The Director General said GFBC would also promote the interests of Ghana and France through various events and encourage alliance between enterprises in the two countries.

He mentioned transport, tourism, building of skilled workforce, Science and Technology and Energy, as some of the areas of importance that the two countries would be looking at. Mr Boeh-Ocansey said the private sectors of the two countries recognized the vast opportunities associated with some challenges and emphasized the need to have both countries to assist in the creation of new African entrepreneurship.

Mr Wilson Krofah, President of PEF said the foundation was pleased to have signed the MOU, adding that, in a globalised world the two countries needed to work together for each others mutual benefit. According to Mr Krofah, the MOU would go a long way to enhance and promote West African integration. Pierre Jacqpmout, the French Ambassador in Ghana said the two countries have worked together for the past 50 years, especially with the small and medium scale companies. He mentioned banana and pineapple as some of the major crops that Ghana exports to France and hoped that the MOU would afford more companies to sign new contracts with their French counterparts. Mr. Emile Nanga, leader of Cote d'Ivoire's business delegation stressed the need to reduce physical barriers on Ghana's borders, noting that many of the barriers were not facilitating efficient trade. He was optimistic that the commencement of GFBC would bring a lot of success to the whole continent, especially to Ghana and France.