The Ghana-China Friendship Association (GHACHIFA) has welcomed Ghana’s proposed engagement with BRICS, describing it as an opportunity to accelerate industrialisation, strengthen economic sovereignty and promote shared prosperity.
The association said the proposed partnership could create opportunities in agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, energy and technology transfer, while expanding Ghana’s access to emerging markets.
In a statement signed by its Mr Benjamin Anyagre, General Secretary of GHACHIFA, it said Ghana’s engagement with BRICS should be guided by national development priorities and produce tangible economic benefits for the people.
It called for BRICS investment in manufacturing, cocoa processing, agro-processing and mineral beneficiation to create jobs, strengthen local industries and reduce the country’s dependence on raw material exports.
The association also urged Ghana to pursue greater access to BRICS markets for locally produced goods, particularly by supporting small and medium-sized enterprises to compete effectively in international trade.
On infrastructure development, GHACHIFA encouraged the exploration of affordable, transparent and sustainable financing for strategic projects in transport, energy and digital development, while safeguarding the country’s debt sustainability and long-term economic interests.
It further identified technology transfer, vocational training, research collaboration and skills development as key areas for strengthening local expertise, improving productivity and building domestic industrial capacity.
The statement said agricultural modernisation should also form part of the engagement, with emphasis on mechanisation, irrigation, storage and agro-processing to improve productivity, reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen food security.
GHACHIFA stressed that the partnership should go beyond diplomatic relations to deliver measurable outcomes, including productive investment, decent job creation, opportunities for the youth and the development of local expertise.
It said the engagement should also support sustainable economic transformation capable of improving the livelihoods of Ghanaians.
The association encouraged Ghana to use the opportunity to advance the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), strengthen African economic integration and maintain constructive relations with its international partners.
GHACHIFA said it looked forward to a Ghana-BRICS engagement based on mutual respect, shared prosperity and mutually beneficial international cooperation.
