The World Trade Centre (WTC), Accra, has embarked on a Trade and Investment Mission to Zimbabwe in Southern Africa.

The delegation which was led by Chairman of the WTC, Togbe Afede XIV, was made up of business leaders with interests in finance, oil and gas, mineral exploration and aviation and power and accompanied by Her Excellency, Pavelyn Tendai Musaka, the Zimbabwean High Commissioner to Ghana.

The trip is a step towards improving trade and investment between Ghana and Zimbabwe, with the goal of bolstering inter-Africa trade in general.

It is the first trade mission to be undertaken by the WTC, Accra, to an African country and the 20th since its establishment.

The delegation were received on on arrival at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe Airport, by Ghana’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe His Excellency Eric Odoi-Anim and Chief Fortune Chirumbira of the Masvingo Province and the President of Council of Chiefs in Zimbabwe.

Togbe Afede XIV stressed the need for intra-Africa trade in ensuring the socio-economic development of the African Continent.

He bemoaned the low levels of inter-Africa trade and Africa’s volume of global trade which accounts for less than two per cent of total global trade, in spite of the fact that Africa accounts for more than a fifth of the world’s population.

Togbe Afede XIV said there was the need to eschew selfishness amongst African countries and to engender collaboration in what he called the one+one = three effect.

He commended Zimbabwe for the smooth transition of power from former President Robert Mugabe to President Munangagwa government which was admirable.

Togbe Afede XIV also commended the Zimbabwean government’s “Rapid Results Initiative” which was described by President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo as a major step towards bringing Zimbabwe back to the level of its immediate neighbours.

Dr Michael Bimha, Minister of Industry Commerce and Enterprise Development, Harare, was grateful to the delegation for choosing Zimbabwe as the first destination for WTC, Accra, trade missions in Africa.

He agreed with Togbe Afede XIV that as a first step, a first sign of Zimbabwe’s readiness to be open to the world, “the government of Zimbabwe should work with private sector to embrace the world trade centre concept to announce Zimbabwe to the world.”

The delegation visited the Zimbabwean Investment Authority, The National Trade Development and Promotion Organization of Zimbabwe (Zimtrade), The Ministry of Finance & Economic Planning and Ministry of Mines of Zimbabwe, The Zimbabwean Energy Regulatory Authority and several other government agencies.

The delegates also meet with business counterparts and potential partners across Zimbabwe banking and finance, mining, power, agriculture and agro -processing sectors.