By: Hannah Dadzie
The UK Minister for Africa, Lord Collins, will visit Ghana on 17th September. This visit, his first to West Africa, will reinforce the enduring partnership between the UK and Ghana.
During his visit, Lord Collins will meet stakeholders including Government Ministers, leaders in Ghana’s tech and innovation sector and food security agencies.
The Minister will also meet civil society organisations that work on issues of importance to both the UK and Ghana, including democracy and security.
Lord Collins will announce funding including:
£3.8 million, in partnership with Shell Foundation, to make green energy more accessible to Ghanaians.
At least £1 million to support Ghana’s drought response.
£500,000 for a food fortification programme in northern Ghana.
Ahead of his visit, the UK Minister for Africa, said the UK and Ghana are close friends, and his visit is all about deepening the partnership for closer stronger collaboration across various sectors, from green growth to food security.
“Working together, we can address shared challenges and unlock new opportunities for both our nations.” Mr Collins said.
British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, added:
“We are thrilled to welcome Lord Collins to Ghana, where he will witness first-hand the breadth and depth of our partnership. The Minister’s choice of Ghana for his first West African visit speaks volumes about the importance of the UK-Ghana relationship to our new Government. The visit will reinforce our shared commitment to a prosperous, sustainable future for both countries.”
Lord Collins of Highbury was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and Deputy Leader of the House of Lords on 9 July 2024. Before joining Government, Lord Collins was Co-Chair All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Nutrition for Growth.
The Sankore Call for Proposals aims to strengthen innovation and technology across West Africa. The project is designed to enhance collaboration between universities and private sector. It will also support the delivery of the UK-Ghana Strategy on Science, Technology and Innovation, launched in 2023.
The Food Fortification Programme will support rice millers to incorporate fortification into their business. The Programme will run until March 2025 and fortify over 8 million school meals with iron, zinc and vitamin B. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is implementing the programme.
WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian organisation and an important partner for the UK.
