Apraku has said Ghana and the United States are to strengthen trade and investment relations with the forthcoming 2nd Council meeting of Ghana-US Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) and the first ever seminar on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for Anglophone West Africa.

He said the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement is aimed at developing and enhancing trade and investment relations between Ghana and the USA. Ghana, he said, is one of the few sub-Saharan African countries that has such an agreement with the US concerning the development of trade and investment relations.

The objectives of the TIFA among others are to remove any trade and investment barriers in order to enhance the benefits that the two countries derive from increased international trade and also to foster an open and predictable environment for international trade and investment.

The 2nd Council meeting, which comes off tomorrow in Accra, would be attended by a 21-member delegation from the US headed by the Deputy United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Jon Huntsman. Also included in the team is the US Trade Representative for Africa, Ms Rosa Whitaker and the American Charge d'Affaires in Ghana, Ambassador Charles Twining.

Participants from Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia have registered.

Over 400 participants are expected to attend the AGOA seminar.