The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) has announced that its Deputy Chief Executive Officer for Human Resources and Operations, Mr. Ambrose Edwin Nsarkoh, is currently spearheading a high-level diplomatic and economic mission across the People’s Republic of China.
Running from January 17th to 26th, 2026, this strategic engagement under the 24H+ Programme represents a sophisticated shift in how Ghana approaches bilateral relations. For GEPA, this mission is not merely a series of courtesy calls.
“The mission is anchored on four core objectives: deepening understanding of China’s values, culture, and governance systems; contributing to the strengthening of Ghana-China state-to-state relations; attracting Chinese investment to priority sectors under the 24H+ Programme; and conducting AI-based economic research to support Ghana’s macroeconomic planning.
“We are committed to structured, knowledge-driven, and mutually beneficial international partnerships”
Ghana Export Promotion Authority
By navigating the complex governance and industrial systems of the world’s second-largest economy, Mr. Nsarkoh and his delegation are positioning Ghana to secure long-term investment for the nation’s most critical 24H+ priority sectors. The mission is a collaborative effort, heavily supported by the Ghana Embassy in Beijing under the leadership of Ambassador Bonsu.
It is being jointly coordinated with the Shanghai Maku Cultural Communication Company Ltd (SMCCCL), an organization with a proven track record of bridging economic and academic gaps across the Global South. By leveraging these partnerships, the GEPA-led delegation is gaining unprecedented access to the state institutions and academic powerhouses that drive China’s global economic footprint.
Show24 and Grow24
At the heart of the investment discussions are the 24H+ priority pillars: transportation infrastructure, culture (Show24), and fisheries (Grow24). GEPA noted that the delegation has been strategically split into sub-teams to maximize impact across key industrial hubs, including Beijing, Wuhan, Jinhua, Changsha, and Shanghai.
In the fisheries sector, the team is engaging with the China Academy of Fisheries Sciences to explore technical assistance that could revolutionize Ghana’s aquaculture and marine productivity.
The “Show24” agenda is also receiving significant attention, with meetings scheduled at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The goal is to create a cultural exchange and investment pipeline that elevates Ghana’s creative arts and tourism sectors to a global standard.
“By engaging directly with Chinese state institutions like the National Development and Reform Commission and the China–Africa Development Fund, the mission aims to lock in the sovereign guarantees and financial backing necessary for these large-scale projects”
Ghana Export Promotion Authority
AI Economic Modeling Initiative
Perhaps the most innovative aspect of this mission is the foray into high-tech economic planning.
GEPA revealed Mr. Nsarkoh and the delegation are facilitating a groundbreaking collaboration between the 24H+ Programme, the Ghana Statistical Service, the Accra Centre for Applied Research, and SMCCCL. This partnership is focused on developing an AI-based model of the Ghanaian economy.
“The mission supports a groundbreaking collaboration to develop an AI-based model of the Ghanaian economy. This initiative aims to enhance evidence-based policymaking and long-term project planning.
“By engaging with leading academic institutions like Peking University, we are ensuring that our macroeconomic planning is supported by world-class research and innovative technology”
Ghana Export Promotion Authority
This research initiative is designed to move Ghana toward more evidence-based policymaking. By utilizing AI to simulate economic outcomes and sectoral impacts, the government can perform more precise long-term project planning.
The delegation’s visits to Peking University’s Institute for the New Structural Economics – founded by the renowned Prof. Justin Yifu Lin – provides the academic rigor required to support such a sophisticated technological undertaking.
According to GEPA, the mission concludes in Shanghai, where the focus will shift to city planning and Chinese political philosophy. This final leg is intended to provide the Ghanaian officials with a deeper understanding of the decision-making processes that have fueled China’s rapid urbanization and industrial success.
For the Authority, the mission underscores a broader commitment to ensuring that international partnerships are not just about trade balances, but about institutional growth and shared knowledge. Ambassador Bonsu’s role in Beijing has been described as instrumental in coordinating these high-level meetings with the Communist Party of China and the China Development Bank.
As the mission draws to a close, the focus remains on transforming these high-level dialogues into tangible infrastructure and industrial projects back home in Ghana.
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