Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Victor Emmanuel Smith, has called on Philadelphia business leaders and U.S. officials to deepen economic engagement with Ghana, emphasizing opportunities beyond the long-standing cocoa trade.
Speaking at a high-level meeting in Washington, D.C., Ambassador Smith highlighted Ghana’s commitment to building a vibrant, inclusive, and investor-friendly economy, noting reforms aimed at strengthening private sector participation and attracting sustainable investment.
“Ghana is open and ready for business,” Ambassador Smith said. “We are inviting our partners in the United States, including Pennsylvania, to join us in creating opportunities that bring shared prosperity and long-term development.”
The engagement was co-led by Florence Porson-Hart, Director of Commerce, City of Philadelphia, who played a central role in coordinating discussions and ensuring a focused exchange between the two cities. The meeting brought together representatives from Pennsylvania’s government and business sectors, including David Webster, CEO of Webster Marketing International, who emphasized the potential for value-added products and opportunities in sectors beyond cocoa.
“Cocoa has connected our economies for decades, but we see tremendous potential in agro-processing, food technology, and services,” Webster said. “Ghana has so much more to offer, and we are excited to explore these new avenues.”
Other participants included Harold T. Epps, Advisor to the Patents of Commerce, City of Philadelphia, who spoke on the importance of sustainable, high-impact partnerships, and Yvonne Boye, Deputy Director of Commerce, who highlighted Philadelphia’s commitment to fostering inclusive trade and neighborhood economic development.
The discussions covered collaboration in agriculture, commercial farming, irrigation, mechanization, and agro-processing of cocoa, cashew, shea, rice, and poultry, as well as opportunities in tourism, hospitality, healthcare, ICT, renewable energy, and light manufacturing.
Ambassador Smith reassured stakeholders that Ghana is prepared to support investors through favorable policies, business-friendly reforms, and direct engagement with government and private-sector actors.
The meeting concluded with expressions of interest from Pennsylvania stakeholders to explore direct business missions to Ghana in the coming months, reflecting Ghana’s broader sub-national economic diplomacy and its growing position as a hub for sustainable investment in West Africa.
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