Minister of Trade & Industry Participates in International Machinery Forum in Vienna

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Hon. Alan Kyerematen, was in Austria to participate, as a Special Guest, in the International Machinery Forum held in Vienna from 16^th – 18^th November 2022.

The forum provided a platform for networking aimed at boosting international business between the global industry community and

Austrian industries. Over 1,500 experts and companies from about 80 countries participated in the Forum where discussions focused on green production, circular economy, data and connectivity, smart decisions, sustainable international sourcing and supply chain risks and distribution challenges. B2B meetings were also held as part of the forum.

While in Austria, the Hon. Minister paid a courtesy call on the Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Dr. Gerd Müller, where discussions centred on UNIDO’s mandate of promoting inclusive and sustainable industrial development in Member States and how the Organization could support Ghana in its industrial development agenda.

The Hon. Minister also met the Vice-President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, Mr. Philipp Gady, and visited Kreuzmayr Machinenbau GmbH and Pöttinger Landtechnik GmbH to explore the possibility of the establishment of assembly plants in Ghana to contribute to the agro-processing sector and in support of Ghana’s Technology Solution Centres (TSCs).

Finally, the Hon. Minister met with officials of VACE Engineering GmbH where he was brief on the company’s projects in the technical education sector in Ghana and discussed how the existing business relations could be expanded to include apprenticeship programmes to enhance the capacity of the youth in Ghana.

The Hon. Minister was accompanied by His Excellency Philbert I.K.A Johnson, Ghana’s Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Offices in Vienna, Mr. Gustav Dovlo, Minister-Counsellor and Deputy Permanent Representative, and Mr. Martin Woller, Regional Director for Africa & Middle East, Austrian Federal Economic Chamber.