The 2023 edition of the Annual New Year School and Conference (ANYSC) begins today at the University of Ghana, Legon.

The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, performed the opening ceremony which is on the theme: “Positioning the African market for sustainable economic development through African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)”.

The theme, captures the options facing Ghana and other African countries during the economic challenges and provide space for stakeholders to look at the huge potential Africa can offer within the region. This year’s event, the 74th, is aimed at exploring how to strengthen trade, industry and commerce, leveraging the AfCFTA agreement.

The New Year School, has since its inception in 1948, been the flagship programme of the university and attracts people from all walks of life who deliberate on topical issues of national and international interests.

The four-day conference is under the sponsorship of the School of Continuing and Distance Education, College of Education of the university, in collaboration with the National AfCFTA Coordination Office.

The event, will focus on promoting and facilitating the preparedness and consolidation of AfCFTA gains by key stakeholders such as industry, the private sector, academia and the government through the organisation of the first Africa Regional Annual New Year School and Youth Conference. It will attract participation from some African universities, the private sector and industries from Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Botswana, Ethiopia, Egypt and ECOWAS member countries.

The Dean of the School of Continuing and Distance Education, University of Ghana, Professor Olivia A.T. Kwapong, speaking at the launch of the conference early on, noted that the school has served as a national forum for discussions on national issues by the citizenry.

The Dean disclosed that resolutions from the conference over the years were presented in a communiqué for policy direction and implementation, adding that “we now have a policy that is directing development in the entire country”.

The 74th conference, she stated, will feature presentations on financial, educational, governance, security, and digital technology preparedness for AfCFTA.

Dignitaries

Aside the Vice President, other dignitaries expected to speak at the conference include the Minister of Finance, Hon Kenneth Ofori Atta and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway.

Also in attendance are: the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu Ekuful, the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, and the Chairman of the McDan Group of Companies, Daniel McKorley.

The Secretary General of AfCFTA, Wamkele Keabetswe Mene, will deliver the keynote address at the conference which will be chaired by the Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Mary Chinery Hesse, with the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, as the host.

Other activities to be organised at the conference is a youth school for students which is scheduled for Thursday, January 19, 2023, at the ISSER conference centre at the university. It is expected to attract keen participation of youth delegations from various African countries.

One of the special highlights of the conference will include an African continental hybrid trade show and exhibition, with special focus on a youth technology platform.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), headquartered in Accra, Ghana, is a flagship programme of the African Union under its Agenda 2063. It aims at accelerating intra-African trade and also boosting Africa’s trading position on the global market by strengthening Africa’s common voice and policy space in global trade negotiations.

Each year, the conference releases a communique at the end of the event which helps to shape policies and also provoke further discussions of the themes.