Lawyer and member of the ruling New Patriotic Party Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko has been appointed the new chair of the Ghana hub of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC).
CWEIC is a commercial, not-for-profit membership organisation with an official mandate from the Commonwealth Heads of Government to facilitate trade and investment throughout the 54 Commonwealth member nations.
Otchere-Darko is one of the leading transactional lawyers in the country and the senior partner of Africa Legal Associates, a Ghanaian law firm with a pan-African vision. A solicitor and barrister trained in the UK and Ghana, Otchere-Darko is also the former chief executive of a UK-based consulting company which specialised in facilitating business for companies and organisations with an interest in Africa.
Touching on his new appointment, Otchere-Darko said: “I thank Lord Marland [chairman of CWEIC] and the entire CWEIC leadership for the confidence shown in me for assigning me this dignified and strategic role as chair of the CWEIC Ghana hub.”
He added: “I am excited about the timing of this assignment as I see a revival of the old Commonwealth bond but of a more confident and assured partnership of 54 member countries this time, and particularly at a time that Africa is finally realising the old vision of economic integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area and its 54 member countries.
“I appreciate the centrality of Ghana in this emerging economic order and will do my very best to promote the objectives of CWEIC, which, in my view, are mutually complementary to the objectives of AfCTFA.”
Marland expressed optimism that Otchere-Darko’s experience will help boost the image of the organisation.
“As chairman of CWEIC, I am delighted to welcome our new Ghana chair. It is a great honour to have someone of the calibre of Mr Otchere-Darko join our organisation. Ghana is a dynamic force in the Commonwealth of nations and I am confident that we can now build on the success of Ghana to capitalise on future opportunities under Gabby’s leadership.”
Samantha Cohen CVO, chief executive of CWEIC said: “CWEIC is fortunate to have Mr Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko as our new chair of the Ghana hub. Mr Otchere-Darko brings to CWEIC his professional brilliance as the senior partner and co-founder of Africa Legal Associates and one of the country’s leading lawyers. In addition, he brings many years of business experience and his expertise in the area of political risk analysis.
“This is a crucial time for Ghana and the Commonwealth as the world recovers from the COVID crisis. Ghana’s place as a vibrant hub abundant with global trade and investment opportunities and home to the AFCFTA Secretariat, will be further enhanced by Mr Otchere-Darko’s commitment to this role.”
CWEIC’s network includes roughly 100 business and government strategic partners (members), including Standard Chartered, Zenith Bank, Trade and Investment Queensland and the Government of the Maldives from across 30 countries and territories.
Every two years, CWEIC hosts the Commonwealth Business Forum in association with the host country of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
