Canada has committed to providing technical support for the creation of Ghana’s Women’s Development Bank, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced.
The pledge followed talks between Mr Ablakwa and Canada’s Secretary of State for International Development, Randeep Sarai.
Mr Ablakwa described Mr Sarai as “a great friend of Ghana”, highlighting his decision to make Ghana the first country he visited last year after taking up his appointment.
In a post on X, Mr Ablakwa said the discussions had produced several agreements between the two countries.
Ghana and Canada will establish a partnership focused on labour mobility and skills development for young people, including digital literacy, standardised certification for global employment, the energy transition and technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
The two countries also intend to strengthen cooperation with the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre. The aim is to enable the Ghanaian institution to expand its contribution to regional stability and counterterrorism efforts.
Canada’s technical assistance will support the establishment of Ghana’s Women’s Development Bank, while both countries will also work together on modern environmental protection and land reclamation as Ghana promotes legal and sustainable mining.
Mr Ablakwa said Ghana and Canada would further coordinate a wider Africa-Canada dialogue next year. That initiative will focus on shared development priorities, including trade, industrialisation, railway development and value addition, as Africa seeks rapid transformation “and not aid”.
He added: “We reaffirm our buoyant Ghana-Canada relations.”
The Women’s Development Bank is a flagship government initiative designed to improve women’s access to affordable finance.
It is expected to address the longstanding credit gap affecting women entrepreneurs and support businesses operating in areas such as trade, agriculture, technology and the informal economy.
