GIPC elected as Director representing Sub Saharan Africa on the Steering Board of WAIPA

GIPC won this position after it got the most votes at the WAIPA General Assembly meeting. The
Centre contested for this position with Investment Promotion Agency of Mali (API-Mali), and the
Economic Development Board (EDB) Mauritius.
The General Assembly consists of the Presidency, two Vice Presidents, and Regional Directorship
for Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia, South Asia, East Asia and Southeast Asia, European Union,
Eastern Europe, North America, Central America and the Caribbean, and South America.
As a regional director, the Centre will help facilitate the investment activities of Investment
Promotion Agencies (IPA’s), and improve intellectual and investment frameworks to improve
foreign direct investments in the regions.

The GIPC will also work with other regional agencies and international bodies such as International
Trade Commission (ITC), World Trade Organization (WTO), World Economic Forum (WEF) and
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in knowledge sharing as well as
policy directions within the regions.
Additionally, the Centre will lead IPA’s in the Sub-Saharan region to organize capacity building
pogrammes and lead discussions on Intraregional facilitation as well as increase awareness,open
up regional markets, and advice WAIPA on all relevant issues relating to FDI in regions which need
attention.
Speaking on this new role, Mr Grant said it is perhaps a recognition of Ghana’s leadership role on
the continent especially in the area of trade and investment and also being selected to host the
headquarters of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCTA) .
He said being a member of the Steering Committee Sub-Saharan Africa of WAIPA puts Ghana in
the driving seat of promoting positive change in the investment climate of Africa through experience sharing and capacity building as well as reforms and making sure that “we do actually
accelerate growth in Africa through investments”.
Additionally, he said with the right partnerships, Africa could increase its economic fortunes
especially as the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) demanded that African countries identified
their own strengths and opportunities which was well expressed in the present Ghana/ Africa
Beyond Aid Agenda.
On the benefit of this new position for the Centre, Mr Grant said “the role meant that the Centre
would be working with African IPA’s to ensure that we have the right frameworks, improve our
ease of investments and facilitation and constructive investments in partnership with our own
indigenous economies, and drive policy to make sure that African countries become more
attractive thereby increasing Foreign Direct Investments (FDI)”.

About WAIPA
WAIPA is a non-governmental organization that was established under the auspices of the United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in 1995 in Geneva as an Association
under Swiss law. Currently its operational office is situated in Istanbul.
The organization provides an opportunity for investment promotion agencies (IPAs) to network
and exchange best practices in investment promotion.
Its objectives among others are to promote and develop understanding and cooperation amongst
IPAs, strengthen information-gathering systems, promote the efficient use of information and
facilitate access to data sources, and share country and regional experiences in attracting foreign
investment and enhancing outward investments.
WAIPA is currently made up of 125 IPA’s across the world.