Ghana, Canada agree on youth skills development and support for Women’s Development Bank

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced agreements between Ghana and Canada aimed at creating jobs for young people, supporting the Women’s Development Bank, and promoting sustainable mining. The discussions with Canada’s Secretary of State for International Development, Randeep Sarai, resulted in commitments across seven key areas.

These include improving employment opportunities for Ghanaian youth through labor mobility and skills development, focusing on digital literacy, certification, energy transition, and technical and vocational education and training (TVET). Canada will provide technical support for establishing Ghana’s Women’s Development Bank, which aims to enhance women's access to financial services and economic participation.

Both nations agreed to strengthen collaboration with the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) to bolster regional stability and counterterrorism efforts. Environmental protection, land reclamation, and sustainable mining practices will be addressed through cooperation on modern methods of protection and the rehabilitation of degraded land.

Additionally, a broader Africa-Canada dialogue will be organized next year, focusing on trade, industrialization, railway development, and value addition, rather than aid. Foreign Affairs Minister Ablakwa praised Sarai for his warm reception of Ghana, noting that it marked the first country visited by the Canadian official upon his appointment.