EU selects Ghana as the hub for COVID-19 vaccines
The European Commission has selected Ghana as the manufacturing hub for COVID-19 vaccines in Africa.
The decision was revealed by Vice President of the Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis to President Akufo-Addo when the President travelled to Brussels where the Commission is headquartered, as part of a two-day working visit from May 19-20.
Mr Dombrovski indicated that the Commission’s decision was influenced by initiatives already taken by the Government of President Akufo-Addo towards the domestic manufacturing of vaccines.
In pursuant of the project, taskforce teams from the EU and Ghana will meet shortly to discuss modalities towards the realisation of this initiative, which, in principle, could be supported by the European Investment Bank (EIB).
Another success story for the President was the delisting of Ghana from the roll of countries deficient in Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing.
At a meeting between President Akufo-Addo and the president of the European Council, His Excellency Charles Michel, the European Commission and the European Union, the three bodies acknowledged the strides Ghana has made in implementing the action plan of the International Country Risk Guide (ICRG) in record time. The Commission, thus, congratulated Ghana for the reforms embarked on, as well as the sustainable, robust systems deployed towards being excluded from the list.
It is expected that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog, will, in June 2021, announce that Ghana has been taken off its list of high risk, third-world countries with strategic deficiencies in Anti-Money Laundering and Countering of Terrorism Financing.
President Akufo-Addo also secured €170 million from EIB for the establishment of the Development Bank,Ghana. The new national bank will assist in the revitalisation of the economy, as well as see to the rapid recovery of the country from the ravages of the COVID pandemic.
Source: www.spotonnews.net
