Ghana finalizes membership in the African Trade Insurance Agency by signing the first financing agreement under the Reform and Investment Partnership with Germany

Membership in ATI will unlock additional investment insurance capacity, helping to lower Ghana’s borrowing costs and increase investments.   

• At a ceremony in Accra, the first financing agreement under the Reform and Investment partnership between Germany and Ghana in the amount of 16 Mio. EUR was signed between the Ministry of Finance and KfW
• The funds provided by the German Development Cooperation under the Reform and Investment partnership enable Ghana to complete its membership in ATI
• Membership in ATI will provide Ghana with increased investment insurance capacity that will help to lower its borrowing costs

ACCRA, 26 September, 2019 – At a ceremony in Accra, the Ministry of Finance and KfW signed a financing agreement in the amount of 16 Mio. EUR that will enable Ghana to complete its shareholding and membership in the African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI), a multilateral investment guarantee institution that mitigates investment risk into Africa. Ghana’s shareholding in ATI enables the government to further develop the private sector, which is a key reform agenda under the Reform and Investment Partnership Agreement between Ghana and Germany.

As a member country of ATI, Ghana will now have access to billions worth of investment insurance capacity. Subsequently, the country’s borrowing costs are lowered and new investors are attracted. As Ghana is becoming a full member, ATI will now be able to insure much greater volumes of transactions in Ghana, which are currently valued at approximately US $4 billion.

ATI insures investors against non-payment and non-honouring of sovereign and corporate risks.  As one of the largest providers of investment and political risk insurance, ATI presently insures upwards of US $6 billion worth of transactions in Africa.

Under the Bilateral Reform and Investment Partnership, the German Development Cooperation has provided the funds for the completion of the ATI membership of Ghana. The Bilateral Reform and Investment Partnership between Ghana and Germany, through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), was launched in 2017. Its purpose is to promote private sector investments and sustainable economic development under the G20 ‘Compact with Africa’. Furthermore, it seeks to encourage a partnership model that is based on mutual trust and accountability.

The signing took place at a ceremony organised on 26 September in Accra and was attended by the Deputy Minister of Finance, Hon. Charles Adu Boahen, the German Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Christoph Retzlaff, the Special Envoy for the Reform and Investment Partnership from Germany, Dr. Stefan Oswald, the Ag. CEO of ATI, John Lentaigne and the Director for Central Africa and Regional Funds of KfW, Dr. Jan Martin Witte.

Quotes

Quote from Dr. Stefan Oswald, Special Envoy for the Reform and Investment Partnership

“The agreement signed today will move Ghana towards a more investor-friendly and sustainable economy, which are both developments that will have a positive developmental impact. The Government of Germany welcomes the opportunity to support Ghana as it continues to make tremendous strides in reforms and transparency that have set an enviable pace for other countries to follow.  

Quote from Hon. Charles Boahen, Deputy Minister of Finance, Ghana:

“Today marks a significant milestone that reflects the first fruits in Ghana’s partnership with Germany and the G-7. When our government first signed onto the reform partnership in 2017, our goal was to create a more favourable environment for private investors and to open up opportunities to foreign companies in sectors such as energy, infrastructure and health. To this end, we are confident that membership in the African Trade Insurance Agency will further strengthen Ghana’s appeal to investors.”    

Quote from Dr. Jan Martin Witte, Director of Central Africa and Regional Funds, KfW:

“Development of renewable energy is another important criteria under the Reform Partnership and a vital part of private sector development. Under this agenda, Ghana has set a target of increasing its share of renewable energy from less than one per cent to ten per cent. KfW is in discussions with Ghana to sign onto the Regional Support Facility (RLSF) that is expected to give a boost to small-scale renewable energy projects and help increase generation of clean energy in the country.”

Quote from John Lentaigne, Acting CEO, African Trade Insurance Agency

“ATI and Ghana have been waiting for this day to finally announce that Ghana is a full member of the ATI. Effectively, this means that ATI is open for business in Ghana. Thanks to the German government, through KfW, for their invaluable support in pushing Ghana’s membership over the finish line. As one of the largest and most dynamic economies in Africa, we see Ghana’s membership as a game changer. With ATI’s support, Ghana will now have access to previously scarce investment insurance, which will help to considerably lower the country’s borrowing costs as well as to attract new investors.”