An afternoon on Monday the 27th of January 2020 filled with beneficial insights into investments in Ghana and building partnerships with pre-established programmes run by Dutch governmental organisations.
An intimate yet formal session hosted at the RVO; the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, this gathering saw the exchange of industry specific information between Ghanaian professionals and Dutch specialists that worked at embassies in East and West Africa. Audience members heard parties of both countries share their experience and knowledge on smart investment and the processes behind successful programmes.
With conversation let by Augustina Austin playing out like a game of ping-pong, conference members were exposed to an abundance of expert information, as the likes of Emmanuel Baisie (representative from Ga South municipality in Greater Accra Region), Mr. Sumaila Mesuna (Maagamni), Alexander Besah Hukporti of Sarsson Consulting and Margot Leegwater of Nuffic were in attendance, amongst other notable professionals and business people.
Vincent Gambrah of Afro Euro emphasised the theme and focus of this year’s business fair: building partnerships; reminding the audience of the well-known proverb that says “if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”.
In line with the theme, members learned the role that RVO plays with assisting companies, businesses and partners, not only with access to funds, but with the intricate processes of successful investments abroad, like in Ghana. Through their large, impactful partnership projects, it is evident that RVO is indeed the companion one would need in understanding how best to partner a Ghanaian company with a Dutch company, and manoeuvring through applications for subsidies, feasibility studies and other procedures.
Eline Minneboo, a Project Advisor at RVO, highlighted the importance of the sustainable development goals to the government of the Netherlands and how they play a role in designing the programs that are currently in place for foreign investment opportunities. Her colleague, Rosalind Boschloo, gave an outline of the accelerator programme called Growing Business Together that has been running for the past two years. The audience was informed about the many opportunities that are available through already existing avenues, and how the Dutch government is in fact committed to growing the social and knowledge capital of the Ghanaian diaspora.
Overall, this was a fruitful and engaging session, leading to many well-matched connections between interested Ghanaian diaspora, experienced Ghanaian professionals and key players in the Dutch enterprise and investment industry.
An overview of funding application procedures and general information about investing through the RVO is available at www.aiddata.rvo.nl/ (website currently under construction).
Written by Saaiqa Merali (BYAustin)