The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, Esq., has held discussions with a high-level delegation from the Kyrgyz Republic led by Foreign Affairs Minister Jeenbek Kulubayev.
The delegation was accompanied by Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, as both countries explored opportunities to strengthen cooperation in the gold mining and trading sector.
The meeting focused on Ghana’s ongoing efforts to formalise the gold trading industry, improve regulation and create new opportunities for international investment and technical collaboration.
During the engagement, Sammy Gyamfi briefed the Kyrgyz delegation on the mandate of GoldBod and reforms being implemented to transform Ghana’s gold industry.
Among the key reforms discussed were measures to combat gold smuggling, reduce gold leakages and increase official gold purchases from artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) operators.
GoldBod is also working to promote local gold refining and value addition, with the broader objective of retaining more value from Ghana’s gold resources within the domestic economy.
The Kyrgyz delegation expressed interest in Ghana’s experience in regulating and formalising the gold trading sector, particularly measures aimed at improving transparency and strengthening the gold supply chain.
The discussions also covered potential areas of cooperation including gold mining, gold trading, technical expertise, investment and knowledge sharing.
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa called for the establishment of a formal cooperation framework between Ghana and Kyrgyzstan to facilitate technical exchanges and support deeper bilateral relations.
Such an agreement could create opportunities for collaboration between institutions and businesses in both countries while strengthening expertise and investment in the gold and mining industry.
The engagement underscores Ghana’s efforts to position its gold sector for greater value addition, responsible mining, investment and international cooperation while sharing its regulatory experience with other gold-producing countries.
Source: newsthemegh.com