GEPA-HEPA business forum held in Budapest

The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) in collaboration with the Hungary Export Promotion Agency (HEPA) successfully organized a business forum and a business-to-business meeting in Budapest. The programme was executed under the auspices of the Ministry of Trade and Ministry (MOTI) and in close liaison with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (MFARI), the Embassy of the Republic of Hungary in Accra, and the Ghana-Hungary Business Council.    

The Business Forum, with the associated business-to-business meetings and government-to-business meetings, was part of unfolding results of a signed Agreement on Joint Economic and Technical commission between the governments of Ghana and Hungary.

The objectives of the mission were to further create and sustain an enabling environment for export oriented Ghanaian businesses to access the Hungarian market and to use the Hungary as a spring board for penetrating the markets of the Balkans.  

The Chief Executive Officer of the GEPA, Osafohene Dr. Afua Asabea Asare 1, led a 15-member joint public-private sector delegation to Budapest to participate in the forum and business-business meeting. 

The highlights of the programme include: 

• Speech by Mr. Gabor Jenei, CEO of the Hungary Export Promotion Agency; 
• Presentation by Osafohene Dr. Afua Asabea Asare 1, CEO of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority;
• Address by H.E. the Ambassador of Ghana to the Czech Republic;
• Signing of MOU between GEPA and HEPA by their respective CEOs; 
• Mini Exhibition of made-in-Ghana products; and
• Business-to-Business meeting

The Business-to-Business meeting brought to the fore great prospects for exporting made-in-Ghana products to Hungary, such as; oil palm value chain products (palm fruit, palm kernel, crude palm oil, and palm kernel oil), cocoa products (cocoa paste, chocolates and cocoa powder), wood products (veneer and plywood), and shea butter.

Made-in-Ghana products displayed during the mini-exhibition on the sideline of the business forum included:

1. Oil Palm Fruit bunch
2. Crude palm oil
3. Vegetable oil (a derivative of palm oil)
4. Shea butter
5. Chocolate
6. Rice
7. Fonio
8. Assorted handicrafts
9. Leather wares
10. Wood

Expected follow-up from the business-to-business meeting includes a visit to Ghana by buyers of oil palm value chain products and buyers of cocoa value chain products to enable them to assess existing production installed capacities and actual production for existing loyal customers to facilitate buying decisions of the visiting Hungarian buyers.