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AfCFTA Forum & Festival: Ghana Readies to Host “Creatives Connect Afrika” at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, in partnership with the Government of Ghana and Africa Tourism Partners, is set to launch a defining moment for the continent’s creative economy as it hosts the inaugural AfCFTA Forum and Festival on Tourism, Creative, and Cultural Industries, branded Creatives Connect Afrika.
The event will take place from Monday, November 24 to Wednesday, November 26, 2025, at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra, Ghana.
Held under the auspices of John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, and the leadership of Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, the forum is designed to strategically transition Africa’s creative sector, particularly Film, Music, and Fashion industries from cultural forces into high-value pillars of continental trade and investment.
The Tripartite Partnership: Architects of Continental Integration
The “Creatives Connect Afrika” forum is underpinned by a powerful three-way partnership, each organisation contributing a vital element to the event’s success:
The AfCFTA Secretariat functions as the project’s policy engine, leveraging its position as the custodian of the continent’s single market to integrate the creative industries into the formal trade architecture.
Its core mandate is to operationalise key protocols – such as those on Trade in Services, IPR, and Digital Trade – to dismantle existing cross-border barriers and provide the structural foundation for the estimated $50 billion creative sector to become a core driver of Africa’s industrialisation.
The Black Star Experience (BSE) Secretariat serves as the national anchor and cultural champion, confirming the Government of Ghana’s deep commitment to the sector.
This flagship initiative, with a vision to Transform Ghana into Africa’s Culture Capital and inject US$5 billion into the economy by 2027, ensures the continental dialogue is rooted in a dedicated national framework. The BSE’s co-hosting role guarantees that the forum’s outcomes directly support Ghana’s strategy to generate jobs and global influence through three of its cultural pillars – Film, Music, and Fashion.
Africa Tourism Partners (ATP) acts as the strategic and commercial facilitator, specializing in investment promotion and business events (MICE). ATP’s primary role is to ensure the forum operates as a viable tourism and investment marketplace by designing the high-impact Business-to-Business (B2B) and Matchmaking Sessions.
They establish the necessary commercial infrastructure, utilising tourism to foster a synergy between travel and commerce that accelerates continental deals for creative entrepreneurs.
AfCFTA: Policy Meets Prosperity
For the AfCFTA Secretariat, the Forum provides a crucial platform to operationalise the agreement’s protocols, particularly on Trade in Services, Investment, and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).
Mrs. Emily Mburu-Ndoria, Director, Trade in Services, Investment, Intellectual Property Rights and Digital Trade at the AfCFTA Secretariat, has been instrumental in working with the government and private sector partners to organise the maiden edition of the continent-wide event in Ghana.
“For too long, the immense cultural value created in Lagos, Dakar, Nairobi, and Cairo has struggled to traverse African borders due to fragmented policies and prohibitive laws and regulations,” explained Ms. Mburu-Ndoria. “
Creatives Connect Afrika is the intervention point. It is where policymakers and creatives sit down to unlock movement and mobility for artists, and establish financial instruments that understand and invest in creative intellectual property.” She commended Ghana for partnering the AfCFTA Secretariat to host this very important event.
A Presidential Mandate for Creative Trade
The co-hosting role by Ghana, facilitated through the Black Star Experience Secretariat, confirms the national priority placed on the creative economy.
Mr. Rex Owusu Marfo (Rex Omar), the Presidential Staffer for The Black Star Experience Secretariat at the Office of the President, confirmed the national commitment to turning cultural influence into economic reality, noting the collaborative efforts by his office, the AfCFTA Secretariat and the Africa Tourism Partners to bring this maiden edition of the Creatives Connect Africa to life.
“The Black Star Experience is a deliberate strategy to position Ghana as the continent’s leading creative and cultural hub. Creatives Connect Afrika, hosted in collaboration with the AfCFTA, and ATP allows us to take this vision continental,” stated Mr. Owusu Marfo.
He added, “Our youth are generating globally dominant cultural exports.
Our duty now is to provide the continental policy plumbing and financial structures necessary for these creators to trade seamlessly across Africa’s 1.4 billion-person market.”
Tourism as the Gateway to Trade
The third partner, Africa Tourism Partners (ATP), views the festival as the perfect synergy between travel, tourism, heritage, and commerce.
Mr. Kwakye Donkor, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Africa Tourism Partners, noted how the event will use tourism infrastructure to facilitate creative trade.
“Tourism is the most immediate way to monetize cultural experiences. By integrating the Forum with a high-calibre Festival, we are creating a reason for investors, buyers, and general travellers to come to Ghana and spend,” said Mr. Donkor. “We are building the travel and logistics pipeline necessary to support the creative value chain.”
Forum and Festival Programme Overview
The three-day Creatives Connect Afrika Forum and Festival features a rich blend of masterclasses, policy dialogues, business matchmaking, and cultural showcases. Day One is dedicated to industry-led Masterclasses in Film, Fashion, Music, and Fintech, delivered by leading experts from across Africa. Sessions focus on strengthening the creative value chain, intellectual property, digital distribution, financing, and intra-African market access under the AfCFTA.
Day Two features the Official Opening Ceremony, with keynote addresses from high-level dignitaries including the His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, and His Excellency Wamkele Mene.
The day continues with thought-leadership panels on expanding Africa’s creative economy through tourism, digital innovation, and policy alignment. It also includes film screenings, cultural performances, and expert dialogues on unlocking investment opportunities in Film, Fashion, and Music.
The entire programme is designed to merge policy, commerce, and culture – connecting creatives, investors, policymakers, and industry leaders to drive trade, mobility, and economic growth across Africa’s creative and cultural industries.
The cultural centrepiece of the event includes the Creatives Connect Afrika Runway, a premium showcase for African fashion designers, and the grand finale Cultural Night & Musical Festival, where attendees are encouraged to wear traditional attire for an evening of electrifying performances to take place at the +233 Jazz Club in Accra.
Creatives Connect Afrika is positioned not just as a festival, but as the inaugural continental policy and marketplace platform designed to unlock the economic potential of Africa’s creative industries.
The Minority Caucus on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has called for urgent and decisive action following recent xenophobic attacks on Ghanaians living in South Africa.
In a statement issued in Accra on April 29, the caucus expressed concern about what it described as a growing pattern of violence against foreign nationals, including Ghanaians, in areas such as KwaZulu-Natal, Durban and Gauteng.
The group noted that Ghanaian-owned businesses have been attacked, while some individuals have been harassed and assaulted. It added that, in certain cases, victims have also been denied access to essential services.
According to the statement, claims that foreign nationals are responsible for crime and economic hardship are unfounded and should be rejected.
The caucus referred to the widely circulated assault of a Ghanaian, Emmanuel Asamoah, as an example of the severity of the situation. It also raised concern about reports that some incidents occurred in the presence of law enforcement officers without effective intervention.
The Minority acknowledged steps taken by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, including his engagement with South African authorities and efforts to provide consular support to affected Ghanaians.
It noted the public condemnation of the attacks by President Cyril Ramaphosa, describing these as necessary but not sufficient.
The caucus called on the South African government to ensure the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible and to hold security agencies accountable where they fail to act.
It urged authorities to take practical steps to protect foreign nationals across the country.
On the part of Ghana, the Minority urged the government to adopt a stronger and more structured response.
It called for direct engagement between President John Dramani Mahama and President Ramaphosa to secure firm commitments on the safety of Ghanaians.
The statement further recommended increased consular support for citizens in affected areas and called for the issue to be escalated to the African Union for an urgent inquiry into recurring xenophobic attacks.
It urged the government to work with regional partners within ECOWAS to present a unified response.
The Minority suggested that Ghana should seek assurances from South Africa, including confirmed arrests, clear prosecution processes and a plan to protect foreign nationals.
It added that compensation should be considered for victims who have suffered losses.
The statement, signed by the Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, urged Ghanaians in South Africa to remain cautious and maintain contact with the Ghana High Commission.
It stressed that Ghana must act firmly to protect its citizens and uphold the principles of cooperation and solidarity among African countries.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
Climate Change and Sustainability Ministry backs WiSA International Festival to promote women-led climate action
The Office of the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability has expressed support for the Women in Sustainability Africa (WiSA) International Festival, aimed at promoting inclusive climate action and sustainable development across the continent.
In a statement, the Office said it recognises WiSA as an important platform that brings together governments, development partners, the private sector and civil society to drive climate solutions and economic transformation.
The Festival is scheduled to take place on May 1, 2026, at the Cedi Conference Centre from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
This year’s event under the theme: Empowering Women For The Economic Sustainability of Africa, will feature, Liu Yaw Nana, Acting Secretary of Ghana-Chinese Business Chamber of Commerce, Issifu Seidu, Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, Dr.Agness Naa Momo Lartey, Minister for Gender Children and Social Protection, Bishop E.O Ansah, General Overseer, Eternal Life Church, President, Women’s Development Association, Turkey, Nilgün Zaimoğlu and Chief of Government Relations and Africa UN Global Compact.
Additionally, it will host, Dr.Charity Binka, Chairperson, Chairperson, African Women Leaders Network , Pearl Opoku, Trader and GUTA National Organiser, Lydia Abbey, Makola Market Queen, actress Juliet Ibrahim, CEO of FZ Global Legacy, Francesca Zoppi, The Revival Founder, Yayra Agbofah and many others.
According to the statement, WiSA’s vision, led by Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong, aligns with national and continental goals on climate resilience, green growth and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Office noted that WiSA’s focus on empowering women as key drivers of sustainability and economic productivity is a practical approach to addressing climate challenges and development gaps.
It highlighted WiSA’s track record of engaging global institutions and organising multi-stakeholder events as evidence of its ability to mobilise partnerships and deliver results.
The Ministry said the 2026 Festival presents an opportunity to promote climate-smart investments, green innovation and scalable solutions in areas such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and the circular economy.
It added that the event will also support public-private partnerships and strengthen Africa-led solutions in global sustainability discussions.
As part of its commitment, the Office said it will support policy coordination, facilitate engagement with relevant government agencies, and promote an enabling environment for climate finance and green investments.
It also pledged to contribute to knowledge sharing, technical support and stakeholder mobilisation.
The statement emphasised that investing in initiatives like WiSA is key to driving inclusive economic growth, building resilience and achieving long-term development goals.
It further stressed that empowering women remains central to delivering sustainable and equitable outcomes.
The Office called on organisations to partner with WiSA to support climate action and sustainable development efforts across Africa.
By: Jacob Aggrey
