Ghana and Austria have reaffirmed their commitment to expanding trade and investment opportunities between the two nations.
This renewed partnership was reinforced during a visit to Ghana by Austria’s Federal Minister for European and International Affairs, Mr. Jackson Alexander Schallenberg, who was in Accra to officially open Austria’s new embassy and deepen bilateral ties.
Leading the discussions on behalf of Ghana, Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey stressed the need for both countries to explore untapped economic opportunities.
She urged Austrian businesses to take advantage of Ghana’s strategic position in Africa, particularly through its access to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which provides a gateway to a market of 1.3 billion people and a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion.
Although Ghana and Austria have enjoyed diplomatic cooperation for decades, Minister Botchwey acknowledged that trade and investment levels have remained relatively low.
She called for increased efforts to foster development partnerships and new business ventures that could drive economic growth in both nations. “Doing business in Ghana means having access to the world’s largest free trade area,” she noted, encouraging Austrian companies to seize these opportunities.
The two countries signed key Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at enhancing cooperation in areas such as development, mobility, migration, and labor market access. Further agreements in health and academic collaboration were also discussed, with Austria’s University of Innsbruck and University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) working with Ghana’s academic institutions on various projects.
Minister Schallenberg pointed out the importance of the partnership, describing Ghana as a beacon of democracy and stability in Africa.
He stressed that a stronger partnership would be mutually beneficial, helping to foster prosperity for both Europe and Africa. “We are bringing our bilateral relations to a new level,” Schallenberg remarked, reinforcing Austria’s commitment to deepening economic ties, increasing trade, and fostering people-to-people connections.
