Director-General of the South Asian, Middle East and African Affairs Department leads Thai delegation to Ghana to enhance cooperation and explore trade and investment opportunities

Director-General of the South Asian, Middle East and African Affairs Department leads Thai delegation to Ghana to enhance cooperation and explore trade and investment opportunities

Director-General of the South Asian, Middle East and African Affairs Department leads Thai delegation to Ghana to enhance cooperation and explore trade and investment opportunities

On 13 - 20 June 2026, Mrs. Urasa Mongkolnavin, Director-General of the Department of South Asian, Middle East and African Affairs, led a delegation comprised of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Thai private sector on a visit to Accra, the Republic of Ghana. The visit aimed to enhance cooperation between Thailand and Ghana in various areas under the bilateral framework and the Thailand - Africa Initiative (TAI).

The Director-General and the delegation had discussions with representatives from the relevant public and private sector organizations in Ghana, including Ms. Genevieve Edna Apaloo, Director of the Asia-Pacific Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ghana. Both sides exchanged views on strengthening bilateral relations. The Thai side underscored the importance of enhancing cooperation in the area of political relations, economic cooperation, development cooperation and strategic partnerships under the TAI. They also discussed the possibility of establishing a bilateral Political Consultations mechanism.

The Director-General and the delegation had discussions with Mr. John Dumelo, Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, and senior representatives from key Ghanaian agencies responsible for trade and investment, including the Office of the President of Ghana, the Ghana Tree Crop Development Authority, Ghana EXIM Bank, the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, and the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Discussions focused on identifying investment opportunities for Thai businesses in Ghana, particularly in priority sectors such as agribusiness, agricultural technology and agro-processing.

The Director-General and H.E. Thirapath Mongkolnavin, Ambassador of Thailand to Nigeria, whose jurisdiction covers the Republic of Ghana, co-chaired the Thailand - Ghana Business Networking Event, at The Palms by Eagles Airport City Hotel. Mrs. Emelia Assiakwa, First Vice President of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, attended and delivered remarks at the event. The event aimed to foster business networking and provided an opportunity for members of the Thai business delegation, comprising Thana Palm Products Co., Ltd., SCG International Corporation Co., Ltd., BYK Intertrade Co., Ltd., and EXIM Thailand, to engage in business matching with Ghanaian entrepreneurs. Approximately 100 participants attended the event.

The Director-General and the delegation visited two Thai-owned manufacturing facilities in Ghana: Thai Union Group Public Company Limited, which operates one of the largest tuna processing and canned tuna export facilities in West Africa under the StarKist and John West brands, and Indorama Ventures Packaging, a leading plastic bottle manufacturer in Ghana. They exchanged views with the management of both companies on their successful business operations in Ghana. They also met with members of the Thai community in Ghana, who have built a strong and supportive community.

The Republic of Ghana is endowed with abundant natural resources and serves as a major logistics and distribution hub for West Africa through the Port of Tema. The country is one of the world's leading producers of cocoa and gold and is a priority partner for Thailand under the TAI.