The government and the International French Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group will hold a two-day retreat to strategize on how to align IFC’s medium-term strategy to the priority areas outlines in the GHS100 billion Ghana Coronavirus Alleviation and Revitalization of Enterprises Support (CARES) Obaatanpa Programme

The workshop, to be held from 9th to 10th June 2021 will among others discuss the government's strategic plan for private sector development and unlocking long-term growth capital to support Ghanaian Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSME) under a synergized CAREs and IFC Ghana Strategy.

IFC’s Vice President for Middle East and Africa, Sergio Pimenta will lead the IFC team with the Minister for Finance Ken Ofori-Atta leading the government team.

Also scheduled to participate in the workshop are the ministers of Agriculture, Communication and Digitization and Works and Housing. Private Sector representatives, and Government agencies such as the Bank of Ghana, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), and Ghana Export Import Bank (EXIM) is also scheduled to participate.

Some of the critical areas for the deep dive sections include Agriculture and agribusiness, affordable housing, infrastructure financing and development, entrepreneurship, manufacturing and digitalisation.

The Ghana CARES Obaatanpa programme was launched in November 2020 as government’s response to mitigate the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and return the economy to a path of robust and sustainable growth over the next three years.

At the end of the retreat, participants are expected to agree on IFC priorities aimed at supporting the government’s transformation agenda over the medium term.