Dec 18- 2025
Ottawa, Canada – December 16, 2025 – Her Excellency Prof. Dora-Francisca Edu-Buandoh, Ghana’s High Commissioner to Canada, has concluded a productive official working visit to the provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick from December 4th to 8th, 2025. The visit advanced Ghana’s trade and investment interests, strengthened institutional ties, and deepened engagement with the Ghanaian diaspora in Atlantic Canada.
The High Commissioner, accompanied by a team from the Ottawa Mission, engaged in high-level discussions with provincial ministers, municipal leaders, economic development agencies, and private-sector stakeholders. The visit underscored a strong mutual desire to move from dialogue toward practical, mutually beneficial cooperation.
Key Outcomes and Understandings
Exploring Ethical Labour Mobility:
Exploring Ethical Labour Mobility and Cultural Cooperation:
The meeting with the Honourable Twila Grosse, Nova Scotia’s Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs, examined opportunities for a government-to-government framework on the ethical recruitment of Ghanaian healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, to help address workforce needs in Nova Scotia. The discussions also emphasized cultural cooperation, with both sides expressing interest in strengthening shared heritage and exploring participation in future major cultural events as a means of deepening community ties and fostering enduring partnerships.
Boosting Trade and Investment:
In roundtable meetings convened by the Black Business Initiative (BBI) and the Halifax Partnership, the High Commissioner presented Ghana’s economic priorities, including the “24-Hour Economy” policy and the “$10 billion Big Push” infrastructure program.
The visit generated:
- A proposal from the Halifax Partnership to explore a “sister economic partnership” between Halifax and a Ghanaian city.
- Interest from the Halifax International Airport Authority in connecting with major Ghanaian agricultural exporters for cargo logistics, with the High Commission facilitating introductions via the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA).
- Consideration of a Nova Scotia business delegation to Ghana in 2026 to explore opportunities in agro-processing, clean energy, technology, and aviation.
Strengthening Diaspora and Cultural Ties:
The visit included renewed and strengthened interactions with the vibrant Ghanaian community in Halifax, followed by a historic, first-time engagement with the Ghanaian community in Moncton. The High Commission provided on-the-ground consular services, processing 68 passport applications and renewals, significantly easing burdens on families. Discussions also focused on preserving cultural heritage and leveraging the new direct flights between Toronto and Accra, commencing June 2026, to strengthen people-to-people connections.
Education, Innovation, and Research Collaboration:
The visit examined opportunities for educational and technical exchanges. Proposals were advanced to expand collaboration in fisheries and coastal resilience research by linking Ghana’s institutions — notably the Africa Centre of Excellence for Coastal Resilience at the University of Cape Coast and the Anomabo Fisheries College , with Nova Scotia’s expertise in the blue economy.
The Minister and her team welcomed the proposals, shared ongoing initiatives in STEM education for youth, and highlighted areas of common interest.
Meetings with institutions such as EfficiencyOne and SimplyCast explored opportunities for collaboration in Ghana’s clean energy transition and digital public services.
The Ghana High Commission in Ottawa will now work with partners in Atlantic Canada and Ghana to follow through on the action points identified, ensuring this momentum delivers meaningful results for both Ghana and Canada.