A team from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) is in Ghana for a two-day retreat aimed at strategizing how to align the GH¢100 billion Ghana Coronavirus Alleviation and Revitalization of Enterprises Support (CARES) Obataanpa programme with the World Bank member’s medium-term strategy.

The retreat, to be held on Wednesday, June 9 and Thursday, June 10, will concentrate on priority areas of the programme.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the retreat will discuss government’s strategic plan for private sector development and unlocking long-term growth capital to support micro-, small- and medium-scale enterprises, among others, under a synergised CARES and IFC Ghana Strategy.

The team from IFC will be led by Sergio Pimenta, who is the Vice President for Middle East and Africa, with Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta leading government’s team.
Also scheduled to participate in the retreat will be ministers for Trade and Industry, Food and 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), are also scheduled to participate,” said a press release on Tuesday, June 8.

Agriculture and agri-business, affordable housing infrastructure financing and development, entrepreneurship, manufacturing and digitalization are some of the critical areas earmarked for deep dive sessions.

The Ghana CARES Obataanpa Programme was launched in November, 2020 as government’s response to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 and return the economy to a path of robust and sustainable growth over the next three years.

“At the end of the retreat, participants will agree on IFC priorities aimed at supporting the GoG transformation agenda over the medium term.”