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Burkina Faso: Trade with Ghana to be strengthened

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Boosting Trade and Investment between Accra and Ouagadougou dominated discussions during this year’s Arts and Handicrafts fair in Burkina Faso.

While Ghana’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Naa Bolina Saaka urged Ouagadougou to come and Trade in Ghana’s handicrafts, Ouagadougou asked Ghana to participated biennially in SIAO fairs to sell African’s rich culture to the rest of the world.

Most countries learnt how to organise Trade fairs from Ghana, such is the SIAO fair held every two years in Burkina Faso capital, Ouagadougou. The fair is a platform created for exhibitors from other African countries to sell and rake in more revenue for their countries through professional buyers. This years fair is no exception as exhibitors from Ghana interact with Ghana’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso on how sales have been so far.

In an interview with GBC24, Naa Bolina Saaka said Ghana believes in creativity and wares exhibited are second to none. He advised that with consistency, Ghana’s International Trade fair would continue to attract more exhibitors from other countries and rake in more revenue for the country.

SIAO fair affords the African continent to showcase its handicrafts to the rest of the world. Both countries are of the view that the time has come to change their narratives by using trade and investments as a vehicle to reduce youth unemployment facing them, since SIAO provides opportunity to create employment especially for women and the youth, generate revenue for food vendors, share experiences and come up with new ideas.

The Ghana Export Promotion Authority, GEPA this year facilitated 30 exhibitors to the fair. Wares range from sculptures, clothes, footwear, artwork among others. Handicrafts export earnings from the sub-sector saw an increase of 100% from 5.22 million dollars in 2016 to 10.4 million Dollars in 2017.

This is a 0.41% contribution to total earnings of non-traditional export. This year’s SIAO fair is the 15th edition and 30 years since its inception.

Story by: Dorothy Agyemang

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