President Mahama and Singaporean President Tharman Discuss Sustainable Development and Carbon Markets
President John Dramani Mahama and Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam recently engaged in bilateral talks during President Mahama’s state visit to Singapore. The discussions centered around sustainable development, carbon markets, and value-added agriculture.
Landmark Carbon Credit Agreement
One of the key outcomes of the talks was a groundbreaking carbon credit agreement between Singapore and Ghana. This agreement marks the first of its kind between Singapore and an African nation, providing a platform to attract investments into low-carbon growth initiatives. The agreement also signifies a deepening cooperation in agribusiness and downstream processing of products like cashew and cocoa.
Support for Ghana’s Development
President Tharman expressed Singapore’s readiness to support Ghana in various areas, including the development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), agro-industrial projects, and green initiatives. He emphasized the importance of job creation as a shared challenge that both countries are committed to addressing.
Ghana’s Focus on Job Creation
President Mahama highlighted Ghana’s focus on job creation through modern agriculture and services as part of his Reset Agenda. He pointed to the Volta Economic Corridor, a region with vast arable land suitable for agro-processing parks and irrigation projects, as a potential game changer in Ghana’s 24-hour economy program. Additionally, he emphasized the importance of the fast-growing creative and digital services sector in generating employment opportunities, particularly for youth.
Partnership for Sustainable Growth
President Mahama framed the partnership within the context of Africa’s economic integration under the AfCFTA. He congratulated Singapore on its 60 years of independence and reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to transforming economic stability into sustainable, job-rich growth. This transformation will be achieved through initiatives like green finance, agro-processing, and digital opportunities.
