"If you want to go fast, walk alone - if you want to go far, walk together." This guiding principle was often heard at the German-African Business Summit in Accra, Ghana. The business summit took place from 11 to 13 February 2019. iMOVE participated in a discussion forum and promoted "Training – Made in Germany".
Prior to the business summit, the "German Desk – Financial Support and Solutions" was formally opened by Dr. Gerd Müller, Federal Minister (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, BMZ), and Ken Ofori-Atta, Ghana's Finance Minister.
The German Desk is a joint initiative by the German Investment and Development Company (DEG), the delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Ghana (AHK Ghana) and the Ghanaian Access Bank. The role of the German Desk is to support medium-sized German companies and their local trading partners through access to finance solutions.
The German Desk is able to act as a local contact partner for training providers when accessing funding as part of the develoPPP.de programme.
German-African Business Summit
Around 600 participants from Germany and from African countries were present at the official opening of the German-African Business Summit.
The topic of vocational education and training took on a prominent role right from the start in the address given by Dr. Gerd Müller. Over the next three years, trainee positions are to be created for 25,000 young Ghanaians with the support of the BMZ.
At the same time, Ghana - as a reform partner country under the Compact with Africa initiative - is to increase tax revenues by consolidating the finance system and invest these revenues in training and infrastructure projects.
In his opening speech, Thomas Bareiß, Parliamentary Secretary of State (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi)), emphasised the positive economic development in sub-Saharan Africa over recent years. According to Bareiß, the demographic advantage of a young population must now be converted into an economic benefit. The BMWi's Skills Experts programme, in which specialists support German companies in developing industry-relevant training models, are contributing to this conversion.
In his speech Mahamudu Bawumia, Ghanaian Vice President, made reference to his country's economic and social successes over the last 10 years. He focused in particular on the area of digitalisation where Ghana has also made huge progress, specifying as examples the issuing of digital identity cards, a digital address system in cities, and the introduction of cashless transactions (mobile money) in public administration.
Dr. Bawumia had specific praise for the German dual system of vocational education and training as a model which Ghana would like to follow.
Topic of vocational education and training at the German-African Business Summit
On the afternoon of the second day of the summit, an iMOVE discussion forum took place entitled "Developing Skills for Employability with German Partners – Vocational Education and Training in African Markets" as part of the parallel sessions.
Dr. Klaus Bauer of Professional Training Solutions (PTS) and Malte Falkenstern from the Association for European Social Work, Education and Training (VESBE) were joined by two providers from the iMOVE Provider Database who also took part in the podium discussion moderated by iMOVE. Dr. Norbert Völker, head of international training at the Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA), completed the podium.
All three experts have extensive experience in the implementation of vocational education and training projects in African markets. The result was a very interactive discussion forum with a high level of involvement by the around 30 participants.
The exchange focused on questions relating to finance, competencies of German training providers in the areas of information and communication technology, e-learning, engineering and agriculture, and specific cooperation opportunities with German training providers.
On the part of participants at the summit, there was huge interest regarding cooperation with German partners in the area of vocational training and continuing education. This was the case both for German and African companies as well as for chamber organisations and government departments.