Ghana has taken a significant step toward shaping Africa’s economic future with the inauguration of the National Technical Working Committee (NTWC) on the GITFiC Agenda 2031. The committee held its first series of meetings at the National AfCFTA Coordinating Office in Accra from August 26 to 29, 2025, bringing together key state agencies to coordinate the country’s role in continental trade and debt initiatives.
The NTWC is chaired by Selasi Koffi Ackom, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana International Trade & Finance Conference (GITFiC), with Dr. Michael Kusi Appiah, Assistant Director of Research at the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), serving as co-chair. It includes representatives from major institutions such as the Ministry of Finance, Bank of Ghana, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Agribusiness, Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Officials from the NDPC, Information Services Department, and GITFiC are also part of the team.
Central to the discussions was the operationalization of the GITFiC Agenda 2031, a six-year framework aimed at positioning Africa as an active player in the Global Debt Initiative (GDI) and accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). According to the committee, the agenda also emphasizes educational reforms to support AfCFTA, including national curriculum adoption, student clubs, youth sensitization programs, and academic congresses.
Over the three-day meeting, members reviewed key policy documents such as the GDI Position Paper, Agenda 2031 blueprint, and previous GITFiC conference communiqués. They also agreed on a Terms of Reference to guide operations and outlined advocacy strategies to strengthen Ghana’s influence within the Global South. Notably, the committee confirmed that four years of the Agenda 2031 plan have already been integrated into Ghana’s national development framework through the NDPC.
Preparations are now underway for the 9th GITFiC Conference, scheduled to take place later this year in Accra. The event will feature the second Global Debt Initiative Dialogue and the first AfCFTA Student Congress, both aimed at fostering inclusive dialogue on debt sustainability and trade integration. The outcomes of the inaugural meetings will be submitted to the Office of the President as part of a strategic roadmap to drive economic diplomacy and debt reforms across Africa.
