La France au Ghana

30 French industrialists to visit Ghana

webmestre — 2013-05-15T12:43:42Z

A large delegation of high level managers from 30 French companies in various strategic sectors (infrastructural industries, banking sector, high technologies industries, telecommunications, oil related equipment, construction and public works) will come to Ghana on 22 and 23 May. This delegation will be led by Mr. Patrick Lucas, Chairman of the MEDEF-International for Africa (Association of French Companies) and by the President of Gras Savoye, Marc Rennard, President of the Council of CEOs in West Africa, Vice President of Orange.

The aim of this mission is to have a clear picture of the opportunities offered by the Ghanaian economy and of the most important sectors relevant for its development. The delegation will be received on the 22nd by HE the President of Ghana, the Minister of Finances and the Minister of Trade and Industry. The country's highest authorities are involved in this call, which takes place only a few days before the official visit of HE the President of Ghana to France (28/29 May). The President of Ghana will also have a meeting with this Association of French companies in Paris on Wednesday, 29th.

A press conference about this mission will be held on Wednesday, 22nd of May, at 7pm at the Residence of France.

AFD finances District Development Facility

webmestre — 2013-05-03T13:12:02Z

On 30th April 2013, the French Development Agency (AFD) signed the Second Financing Agreement of the District Development Facility (DDF) with the Government of Ghana (GoG). The Agreement was signed by the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Hon. Clement Kofi HUMADO, on behalf of the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning in the presence of Hon. Akwasi Oppong FOSU – Minister, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), by the French Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Frederic CLAVIER and by the Resident Manager of AFD, Mr. Bruno LECLERC. Under the Agreement, AFD is providing a concessional loan of 21.0 Million Euros to co-finance the DDF for a period of three years. The District Development Facility (DDF) is a performance-based grant aimed at improving the ability of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to comply with the Government of Ghana (GoG) regulatory requirements. The DDF is jointly financed by the Government of Ghana, AFD and three other Development Partners namely CIDA, DANIDA and KFW.

The facility provides additional financial resources to the MMDAs based on the outcome of an annual performance assessment. MMDAs which meet the minimum conditions are given an Investment and Capacity Building Grant. All MMDAs are given funds to improve on their performance. The Facility is discretionary and funds are not earmarked or tied to specific sectors. MMDAs use it to finance their Annual Action Plans which include the provision of basic school infrastructure and sanitation facilities, markets, CHIPS compounds, rehabilitation of roads and the provision of water through boreholes. The Facility also provides resources to train MMDA core staff on procurement, financial regulations and accounting, revenue mobilisation, documentation and records management among others.

The DDF has not only provided additional financial resources to the MMDAs but has resulted in the improvement of their capacity to perform their mandate. With just 38% of the MMDAs qualifying for the DDF funds in 2008, performance of the MMDAs has consistently improved to a current level of over 90% each year.

AFD provided assistance to the Government of Ghana to start the DDF and contributed 15.0 Million Euros over a three year period beginning 2009 to 2012 to finance the first phase of the DDF. The continuation of the AFD to finance the DDF is based on the successful implementation of the DDF and what its system has brought on performance of the MMDAs.

Support to local Governments is one of the three sectors of concentration of France in Ghana with Energy and Agriculture. Aside the support from the French Embassy to the decentralisation process, on going AFD financing in this sector amounts to more than €200.0 million (around 450 million of Ghana cedis). This includes financing of Ghana Urban Management Pilot Project (GUMPP), urban transport, environmental sanitation and rural water/sanitation projects.

Decentralisation and Public sector reform: cooperation between France and Ghana

webmestre — 2013-05-03T12:29:44Z

On Monday April 29, 2013, the French Ambassador has received at the Embassy of France in Accra the members of the Steering committee of the French governance projects. This committee is supervising the cooperation projects between Ghana and France in the fields of decentralisation and public sector reform. During this meeting were discussed the evaluation of the two past projects (support to public sector reform; support to decentralization) and a new project proposal on « Reinforcing accountability of central and local administrations in Ghana ».

Along with the representatives of the French embassy cooperation department, the main Ghanaian institutions concerned were taking part: Public Sector Reform Secretariat, Ministry for Local Government and Rural Development, Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee for Decentralisation, Office of the Head of Civil Service, Local Government Service Secretariat, Public Services Commission, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Institute of Local Government Studies, as well as the think tank Ghana Centre for Democratic Development.

French Guitarist Thibault Cauvin at National Theater

webmestre — 2013-04-29T15:02:35Z

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the National Theater and as part of the European Union Week, the French Guitarist Thibault Cauvin will perform at National Theater, on Wednesday 8th of May, 8pm. The Ghanaian Guitarist Kyekyeku will play the first part of the concert.

This concert is organized by the French Embassy, Institut Français, Alliance Française and National Theater.

Thibault Cauvin is one of the world's most talented, charismatic and sought-after guitarists. Thibault has developed a unique style making him what he is today: an ambassador of the revival of the «classical» guitar. He fully combines the quality and beauty of the instrument with extraordinary passion.

http://www.thibaultcauvin.com

« Monologues et Dystopies » an exhibition by French photographer Dorothy Shoes

webmestre — 2013-04-12T08:44:51Z

Dorothy Shoes is a talented young French stage director turned photographer. A storyteller at heart, she gives the impression of speaking through her images, which has been widely exhibited in Europe, North America and Asia. In her photographs, as short timeless tales, one will discover the dark and lonely aspects of human existence portrayed through poetic imagery and quite a touch of humour.

Proposed by Institut français of Ghana

From 17th to 30th April

Free entrance

44th Annual Study Session in International and Comparative Law of Human Rights

webmestre — 2013-04-03T10:28:40Z

44th Annual Study Session in International and Comparative Law of Human Rights on "Religions and International Human Rights Law".

Strasbourg, France - From 8 to 26 / July 2013

Program :


Session Program

FRANCOPHONIE FESTIVAL AT MAISON FRANCAISE

webmestre — 2013-03-28T11:36:34Z

Thanks to the Institut Français du Ghana and its support to la Maison Française, located in the University of Ghana, this year's Francophonie Festival offered the opportunity to organize diverse events: conference, seminar, sport activities and competition in French language. Students from Cape Coast University won a trip to France offered by the Institut Français du Ghana.

A conference entitled « The long love story between French and English languages » held by the distinguished French linguist, Henriette Walter, and organized on the 13th of March, ushered in the Festival. This event was followed by a seminar based on the theme « L'aventure des mots voyageurs » on the 14th of March. During these programmes, Mme Walter took her public over the times and continents to discover the incredible journey of words.

With the participation of the French Club, a sporting event was organized on the 15th of March, bringing together four teams of Ivorian, Gabonese students and students from the French Club and the Spanish section of the Department of Modern languages. This very festive occasion ended on an award ceremony. The Ivorian team won the first place.

In the end, la Maison Française hosted, on the 21st of March, the final of the interuniversity French competition Francotonik. Six teams coming from the Universities of Kumasi, Cape Coast, Winneba, Wa, Navrongo and Accra had to test their creativity as well as their knowledge about Francophonie and French language. The team of the University of Cape Coast proud winners of the 2013 Francotonik edition won a trip to France offered by the Institut Français du Ghana.

French Embassy supports the ONG Simli Aid with 126 099GHC

webmestre — 2013-03-22T13:00:47Z

French Ambassador, H.E. Frédéric Clavier, has received on Friday 22nd of March Mr Mahama N. Ziblim, Simli Aid Programme Director. The French Embassy granted NGO Simli Aid (which means friendship) 126 099 Ghana Cedis to improve the economic situation of poor women, developing sustainable livelihood through ecological sanitation in Tamale.

The project is to create opportunities for 50 poor and marginalised women to increase income and overcome their poverty while resolving the sanitation and hygiene needs of about 400 people in the Nalung Electoral area of the Tamale Metropolis by constructing two aqua-pit latrines on pay-for-use basis, the women will set the user charges and community members will pay and use.

The construction technology to be adopted will incorporate ecological sanitation techniques (ECOSAN) that will enable the waste products to be transformed into compost for farming purposes. Working with the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly and the University for Development Studies, the aqua-pit latrines will serve to promote a balance in harmony between sanitation promotion and sustainable environmental management approaches.

Financially, the latrines will self generate income through user fee charges, these fees will be used to boost the income of the beneficiaries after all recurrent expenses are made, this income from the latrines will be encourage savings by the beneficiaries and eventually result in long term capital mobilisation and investments.

Through its Fund for Social Development (FSD), the French Embassy aims at supporting Civil Society organisations in several development related sectors such as economic empowerment, food security and water, hygiene and sanitation.

Job Fair - Francophonie Festival

webmestre — 2013-03-22T12:40:14Z

A key meeting point for business people and young Ghanaian graduates to meet, promote studies, trade and job opportunities.

The idea, which was totally new in 2012, was to create an event aiming to put in contact the students of the big Ghanaian Public Universities, (newly graduated or in the last year of their training) and the network of francophone companies operating in Ghana. That is why the French Embassy has been working with the Francophone Business Club. 15 persons find a job that day.

Nevertheless most companies were looking for technicians and engineers that were not necessary present that day because there are studying out of Accra. To improve the event that year we have asked the participating companies to list what kind of skills there are looking for and directly informed the Universities. This year, 120 students from Cape Coast will participate and 30 from Kumasi will present their CV that day. They do not need to be francophone when technical skills are expected. Speaking French is nevertheless an asset.

The following companies participate:
Golden Exotic
Technip
Air liquide
Société Générale
CFAO
Surf Publication and two other big companies are waiting for information to participate.

Our hope is that not only French companies could participate in this event but also companies from francophone countries or even, in the future, Ghanaian companies looking for francophone personnel because they have relationships with the neighbouring countries. This approach is a way the underlined the economic reality of "la Francophonie".

Photos of the event :


Students from the University of Cape Coast

Danced Conference - Serge Aimé coulibaly

webmestre — 2013-03-20T15:31:53Z

Is contemporary dance a new form of colonial art straight out of Europe?

Burkina Faso choregrapher Serge Aimé Coulibaly takes us on a journey that reveals the origins, the history and the evolution of modern dancing throughout Africa. He will be teaming up with dancers from the School of Performing Arts in Legon in a show organized in partnership with Institut Français du Ghana.

Do not miss this fun, original and creative performance!

27th March 2013 at 8 p.m

Alliance Française

Duration: 1h10

Interaction with the audience: 30 mn

Rates :

Adults : 10 Ghc

Students Alliance Française and Cultural members : 5 Ghc

Faso Danse Théâtre web site