Hon. James Gyakye Quayson (MP), Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, accompanied Vice-President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, for a successful working visit to Shanghai, China, from 15th -19th October, 2026 at the invitation of East China Normal University (ECNU).
The highlight was the 2026 Global South Academic Forum (GSAF) held on 17th October, gathering over 200 scholars, policymakers, political party leaders and media professionals from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, under the theme “Global South Political Parties: Governance and Modernisation.”
In her keynote address Prof. Opoku-Agyemang asserted that political independence is only truly the beginning, stating that “winning political power and governing effectively are related but not the same responsibility.” She urged South-South cooperation, multilateralism, and global financial architecture reform to end debt traps, fair risk assessments, and climate policies that respect different national circumstances.
On 18th October she addressed a business forum with Chinese investors, linking Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy to industrialization. Warning that training youth without factories creates unemployment, she appealed for factories in Ghana to serve the AfCFTA market, prioritising cocoa processing, shea butter, cashew, coconut, and timber value chains.
On 19th October, His Excellency Kojo Bonsu, Ghana’s Ambassador to China, hosted a Shangri-La dinner for the Vice President, attended by the Ghanaian community and business leaders, who praised thorough preparation by the Ghana Embassy staff for her visit.
Throughout, Hon. Quayson seamlessly coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aligning the trip with Ghana’s jobs and transformation agenda.