UNOPS supports Government of Ghana’s sustainable infrastructure investment event

• The government of Ghana participated in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Investment Fair held 13-14 April 2021 09:00-13:00 EDT.
  
   
• This year’s event saw the Ghanaian delegation present a series of investment-ready infrastructure projects to potential investors
  
   
• UNOPS supported the government of Ghana’s preparation for the Fair. In Ghana, UNOPS aims to develop technical capacity in selected ministries in the use of its bespoke evidence-based tools, including the National Infrastructure Systems MODel (NISMOD) tool and the Sustainable Infrastructure Financing Tool (SIFT)
  
   
• The SDG Fair brings together stakeholders from various circles to discuss the importance of private finance to implement the 2030 Agenda
  
   

The government of Ghana participated in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Investment Fair held between 13-14 April 2021. The United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) hosted its annual two-day SDG Investment Fair focusing on connecting governments and the private sector to accelerate the mobilization of resources for the SDGs.

This year’s event saw the Ghanaian delegation, led by the Honorable Minister of Finance, in partnership with the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), and sector ministries, present a series of investment-ready project pipelines to potential investors to identify appropriate financing instruments, alongside governments of Kenya, Jamaica and Pakistan.

Funded by the Joint SDG Fund, UNOPS work in Ghana has focused on supporting the former Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Finance, GIPC, and National Development Planning Commission in the collection of data to package a series of SDG-related infrastructure projects for the Ghanaian delegation to present at the 2021 SDG Investment Fair hosted by UNDESA.

Beyond the fair, UNOPS aims to develop technical capacity in selected ministries in the use of its bespoke evidence-based tools including the National Infrastructure Systems MODel (NISMOD) tool and the Sustainable Infrastructure Financing Tool (SIFT). These tools, which are expected to complement existing National Tools, are key to assess priority infrastructure challenges and gaps, understand how countries are responding, consider a country’s unique positioning and develop parameters for further development and financing. UNOPS support to the government of Ghana will extend beyond the Fair and into the later part of 2021.

In his opening remarks, the Minister of Finance said: “The government of Ghana recognises that we must rebuild and promote the building blocks for an inclusive and sustainable society. Our focus remains to move urgently towards opportunities and solutions that achieve sustainable and broad-based economic growth, without harming our climate or leaving hundreds or millions of people in poverty.

It is our expectation that these projects would generate interest among investors and ultimately lead to the mobilisation of the much-needed resources to propel the achievement of the SDGs in Ghana and improvement in the quality of life of the people of Ghana.”

The Director of the Ghana Country Office, Ifeoma Esther Charles-Monwuba, added: “UNOPS lends its support to member states to de-risk and attract needed financing through evidence-based analysis of priority projects that would accelerate the attainment of the SDGs.

“We are excited to work with the Government of Ghana in their preparation towards the SDG fair and look forward to continued partnership with the government of Ghana and the private sector. ”

Attended by a number of participants, the SDG Fair brings together stakeholders from various circles including government, the private sector, academia, international and regional financial, trade and development institutions, including development banks, experts from think tanks, foundations, UN agencies and journalists to discuss the importance of private finance to implement the 2030 Agenda.

ENDS