The Netherlands in Ghana: Trade and Economic Highlights of the Past Year

Once more, it’s that time of the year again, when the Netherlands gets to color Ghana Orange to honor king Willem-Alexander’s birthday.

Dubbed as Orange Week, these days leading up to the 27th of April are dedicated to commemorating Dutch culture and heritage, as well as highlighting the initiatives and collaborations that have strengthened the diplomatic ties between Ghana and the Netherlands over the years.

So why orange? For the Dutch, orange isn’t merely a festive color; it’s deeply intertwined with their royal lineage, known as the “House of Orange” (Huis van Oranje). As the Netherlands embarks on this week of leaving Ghana decorated in vibrant hues, it’s crucial to examine some key aspects of Dutch foreign policy in the region, particularly focusing on trade, investment, and policy initiatives driven by the objectives of the Embassy in Ghana

The Dutch win-win Approach  

The Netherlands has introduced a strategy known as the Dutch win-win Approach, aimed at supporting Ghana’s economic prosperity objectives, particularly the Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda.

This policy is designed to foster trade and investment while strengthening economic ties by linking Dutch businesses and expertise to development activities in areas of mutual interest for both countries through collaborative efforts.

These efforts involve the implementation of new financing and business models, fostering private sector development, and encouraging significant involvement from Dutch and Ghanaian businesses, knowledge institutions, and NGOs.

Moreover, the Dutch embassy in Ghana is dedicated to fostering innovation and sustainability, particularly in sectors such as Horticulture and Cocoa, by supporting initiatives aimed at enhancing production methods and expanding market access for farmers. These commitments are evident through various highlights from the past year, showcasing the Netherlands’ ongoing efforts to promote economic growth and development in Ghana.

• Adenta Community Garden Launch

On March 1st, 2023, the Netherlands Embassy introduced its community garden project on the premises of Fafraha Community Senior High School in the Adenta Municipality.

This endeavor aligns with one of the embassy’s focal sectors: Horticulture. Renowned as one of the leading producers of agricultural goods and food, the Netherlands is recognized for its sustainably cultivated propagation materials, including flower bulbs, young plants, vegetable seeds, onions, and tomatoes.

Thus, the establishment of the Adenta Community Garden by the embassy serves the dual purpose of promoting the horticulture sector through Dutch expertise and equipping residents of the Adenta community and its surroundings with valuable skills in vegetable cultivation and entrepreneurship.

The garden features an array of crops and vegetables, including various types of peppers, sweet corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, kohlrabi, cabbage, lettuce, watermelon, okra, carrots, spring onions, mint, celery, and more.

• Celebration of Women in the Cocoa Sector

On International Women’s Day, the embassy hosted an event at la Villa Boutique to honor women in the cocoa sector. This occasion not only aligns with the embassy’s focus on the cocoa industry but also reflects the Netherlands’ feminist foreign policy, which seeks to boost women empowerment and participation across all its initiatives.

Attending the event were representatives from COCOBOD, CIGCI (Mrs. Tawiah Agyarko-Kwarteng), civil society organizations, and the private sector, who shared insights on the challenges and opportunities within Ghana’s cocoa value chain.

In further support of this crucial sector, the embassy is organizing a cocoa fair on April 23rd, 2024, as part of the Orange Week celebrations. The primary objective of the fair is to stimulate demand for locally produced Ghanaian cocoa and chocolate products, thereby boosting sales and market share for companies and entrepreneurs within the Ghanaian cocoa industry.

• The Doing Business in Ghana Seminar in partnership with Ghana Investment Promotion Center (GIPC)

The objective of this event was to convene key players from across the private sector ecosystem, facilitating a deeper understanding of the intricacies of conducting business in Ghana.

Through research, the embassy identified collaboration with diverse stakeholders – including businesses, government entities, NGOs, development partners, and educational institutions – as essential for fostering a stronger Ghanaian economy and thereby enhancing trade and investment relations between the Netherlands and Ghana.

The seminar aimed to engage all pertinent partners through panel sessions and discussions, seeking to gain insights into what practices are effective, what challenges exist, and what support is required to improve outcomes. The turnout was notable, demonstrating the collective eagerness of stakeholders to explore innovative solutions and strategies to achieve sustainable and efficient results.

Conclusion

In summary, it’s noteworthy that the Netherlands ranks among Ghana’s top five foreign investors and trade partners. Recent trade statistics from 2023 indicate that Ghana exported goods worth $510.36 million to the Netherlands, while the Netherlands exported goods valued at $1.35 billion to Ghana. Moreover, data from 2022 reveals a consistent growth trend: over the past 27 years, Ghana’s exports to the Netherlands have increased by an annualized rate of 8.55%, while Dutch exports to Ghana have grown at a rate of 9.33% annually over the same period. Furthermore, Dutch companies have made significant investments in Ghana, with more than 150 companies operating across diverse sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, healthcare, and renewable energy, among others.

Therefore, while this week is dedicated to celebrating Dutch culture, it’s important to remember a central theme: Whenever you see Orange, don’t just think of the color, remember the Netherlands and Ghana, because Growing Together will always be the goal. Happy Orange Week!

Economic Department

Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

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