The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), Madam Afua Asabea Asare, has said trade relations between Ghana and South Africa can improve for mutual benefit of the two countries.

The GEPA CEO said this yesterday, Thursday, August 30, 2018, when she paid a familiarisation visit to the South African High Commission at Labone in Accra.

The purpose of the visit was for Madam Afua Asabea Asare to formally introduce herself to Her Excellency Lulu Xingwana the South African High Commissioner to Ghana as the recently appointed Chief Executive Officer of GEPA as well as to avail herself of the opportunity to discuss collaboration in the area of trade, and how to improve further the already cordial relationship between Ghana and South Africa.

Receiving the GEPA delegation to the South African High Commission, H.E Mr. Thapelo Madumane the Deputy High Commissioner, who stood in the stead of the H.E. Madam Lulu Xingwana thanked Madam Asare for the visit and expressed the willingness of the Republic of South Africa to deepen the already cordial relations between the two countries and to improve further the relationship.

H.E. Mr. Thapelo Madumane said his country has placed intra-African trade at the heart of its trade policy and has demonstrated that resolve in several respects. He was happy that a lot of South African companies are currently operating in Ghana.

He said Ghanaian food products, in particular, have great potential in the South African market and urged closer collaboration to ensure that such products meet the certification and other requirements of the South African market.

He said his country is supporting Ghana in other critical areas of the economy such as the railway sector to ensure easy access of goods from the production areas to the city and also to ease the traffic situation particularly in Accra.

H.E. Mr. Madumane recounted that he had personally seen several Ghanaian processed foods and agro-products in South African malls adding that, "there is enough room for improvements and to me, there's a lot of varieties in Ghanaian dishes which is missing in South Africa."

"Ghana can tap into this potential and maximize export of food products to South Africa," he added.
Both sides agreed on the need to jointly implement programmes that would promote Ghanaian exports to South Africa and would work towards that objective in the coming months. Indeed both sides also agreed on the need for the MoU on Agricultural Cooperation between the two countries to be signed as soon as possible.

Mr. Madumane, who was obviously elated by the visit promised to pay a reciprocal visit to GEPA soon.
Other members of the GEPA delegation included: Mr. Alexander Dadzawa, Director for Projects; Mrs. Agnes Adjei-Sam, Director for Marketing; Ms. Angelina Andoh; PR Department and Mr Bruce Bullu Liman, GEPA Web Content Administrator.