Germany reaffirms ‘3G’ focus for Ghana’s development

• Mr Nitiwul (left) and Mr Krull toasting at the programme

Green energy, good governance and growth for jobs will continue to be the 3G-focal-areas of the Ghanaian-German Development Cooperation, the German ambassador to Ghana, Daniel Krull, has said.

He said it was in support of this priority that Germany agreed to commit additional 150 million euros for projects in Ghana during bilateral development cooperation negotiations in Berlin in November last year.

The German ambassador disclosed this at the German National Day celebrations held in Accra on Thursday to commemorate the 34th anniversary of German reunification.

In Germany, “Tag der Deutschen Einheit” (Day of German Unity), is celebrated on October 3 every year, to mark the peaceful reunification of East and West Germany in 1990, following the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989, and the signing of the Unification Treaty, which formalised the merger of the two states.

The event, interspersed with music and dance alongside refreshments was attended by government officials, members of the diplomatic corps especially the German community, and representatives from various sectors of Ghanaian society.

In the green energy sector, Mr Krull outlined several key initiatives that underscore Germany’s commitment to Ghana’s sustainable future including a flagship programme that aims to install solar power panels on official buildings, including hospitals and universities, to help Ghana to take a significant step towards renewable energy adoption in Ghana’s public sector.

To boost green technology cooperation, he said a scientific collaboration in green hydrogen technology was being explored for an initiative including a pilot electrolyzer at Bui Power Plant to potentially position Ghana at the forefront of this innovative energy solution in West Africa.

On good governance, Mr Krull reaffirmed Germany’s support for Ghana’s democratic institutions and processes and commended recent legislative progress, specifically the near-total abolition of the death penalty and the passage of the affirmative action bill.

As Ghana approaches its December 2024 elections, the ambassador expressed confidence in the country’s democratic process, and emphasised the importance of free, fair, and peaceful elections.

Touching on growth for jobs, he said Germany was implementing a range of initiatives aimed at stimulating economic growth and creating employment opportunities for Ghanaians.

He said the recently approved German Skilled Immigration Act had paved the way for opportunities for skilled Ghanaian workers in Germany adding that plans were underway to introduce German language learning in some Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) schools in Ghana to enhance the employability of young Ghanaians in the German job market.

Mr Krull said as part of efforts to significant increase in cultural exchange, almost 1,000 student visas were issued to Ghanaians in the past year, marking a 30 per cent increase.

He said Germany’s peaceful reunification was an example for addressing global challenges like conflicts in Sudan, the Sahel, and Ukraine and stressed the need for international cooperation, multilateralism, and tackling issues like climate change and human rights through diplomatic means.

The Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, who represented the government at the event expressed gratitude to Germany for its contribution to Ghana’s socioeconomic development worth more than 1.6 billion euros in the form of technical and financial cooperation programmes and projects.

He reaffirmed Ghana’s committment to the deepening of the bilateral ties between the two countries which dates back to 1957 and has seen increase in trade volumes and values running into many million euros

BY JONATHAN DONKOR

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