News
President Akufo-Addo Calls For Stronger China-Africa Cooperation in Industrialization And Green Development
At the 9th Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) High-Level Meeting in Beijing on September 5, 2024, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo highlighted the critical need for China-Africa collaboration in industrialization, agricultural modernization, and green development.
Addressing the summit co-chaired by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, President Akufo-Addo emphasized that these three pillars are vital for Africa’s modernization and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
President Akufo-Addo noted that Africa is at a pivotal moment, with rapid technological and economic shifts, as well as pressing environmental challenges.
He stressed that industrialization is a key driver of economic growth, diversification, and job creation, and cited Ghana’s own “One-District-One-Factory” (1D1F) initiative as an example of how targeted industrial policies can transform economies. Through 1D1F, Ghana has established 321 factories, creating 170,000 jobs and attracting both domestic and foreign investors.
The President also focused on agricultural modernization, highlighting Ghana’s “Planting for Food and Jobs” programme. This initiative has introduced modern farming techniques and machinery, boosting productivity and improving the livelihoods of farmers across the country.
On green development, President Akufo-Addo emphasized that sustainable development is no longer a choice but a necessity. He outlined Ghana’s efforts to promote renewable energy, reduce deforestation, and manage waste sustainably. The country’s development policies integrate environmental considerations to ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.
The President praised China’s rapid industrialization, agricultural transformation, and commitment to green development, citing them as valuable lessons for Ghana and Africa. He also underscored the importance of the Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027), which aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the UN’s SDGs, in fostering further cooperation.
President Akufo-Addo concluded by reaffirming Ghana’s commitment to industrialization, agricultural modernization, and green development. He called for deeper partnerships with China and other nations to build a future of shared prosperity and sustainability for all.
News
Ghana-Colombia strengthens ties through diplomatic engagement
In an important diplomatic engagement, the Colombian Ambassador to Ghana H.E. Daniel Garces Carabali paid a courtesy call on the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, at his office in Accra to discuss some key areas of collaboration.
The meeting focused on pressing issues, including security, decongestion of Ghana’s prisons, prison reform programmes, training programmes, improving the welfare of prisoners and enhancing disaster management in the country.
The courtesy call underscores the growing bilateral ties between Ghana and Colombia, building on previous engagements, such as the visit of the Colombian Vice President to Ghana in 2023.
The meeting demonstrates the commitment of both nations to fostering cooperation and addressing shared challenges.
News
Ghana to host African Catholic Journalists from August 10
The Union Catholique Africaine de la Presse (UCAP), also known as the African Catholic Union of the Press, in collaboration with the Catholic Association of Media Practitioners-Ghana (CAMP-G), is set to host its prestigious Triennial Congress from August 10 to 17 August, 2025.
The programme would be held at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Legon, Accra, Ghana.
This landmark event, the most significant gathering of Catholic journalists in Africa, will bring together media professionals, researchers, and experts in digital technology from across the continent and beyond.
The theme for the Congress is: “Balancing Technological Progress and the Preservation of Human Values in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”
Congress Highlights
The UCAP Congress 2025 will feature discussions and deliberations on critical issues arising from or related to integral human development, particularly within the framework of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Some of the key sub-themes to be addressed include:Corporate Social Responsibility in Managing the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Human Values, Deploying AI in Eco-friendly Business Start-ups in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges, Technology and the Reprogramming of Social Reality, Distortion of Reality in Social and Digital Media, Ecological Education and Action Against Unsustainable Exploitation of Natural Resources, and Media and the Promotion of the Recommendations of the Synod on Synodality in Africa.
Participants will include media professionals from both ecclesiastical and lay organisations, media researchers and academics, representatives from the Vatican, government agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the digital technology sector.
Objectives of the Congress
The primary goal of this Congress is to strengthen the capacities of media professionals and educate the public on the necessity of preserving human values amid rapid technological progress. Specific objectives include; Training 100 media practitioners in Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies, with a focus on balancing innovation and human values.
This will include promoting ethics and bioethics in technical research and technological innovations through media.
Advocating for human values such as respect for life, human dignity, charity, solidarity, and human rights and assessing the impact of technological progress to better understand the challenges, risks, and opportunities presented by AI will be part of the objectives.
UCAP is a continental organisation dedicated to promoting communication within the Catholic Church and its partners in Africa. With a mission to foster spiritual growth, collaboration, and responsible journalism, UCAP works to spread the Gospel, uphold human values, and support developmental initiatives across Africa and beyond.
UCAP is an independent, autonomous, non-political, and non-profit organisation comprising African Catholic journalists, communicators, academics, researchers, and institutions in various media fields.
