Ghana Convention 2025: BIDEC INC to Host Diaspora and Investor Side Event at UN General Assembly in New York

Ghana is set to stage its first standalone side event at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) this month, in a high-stakes bid to attract global investors and harness the skills and capital of its diaspora. 

Organized by the Bureau for International Development, Exchanges and Commerce (BIDEC INC), the event is dubbed the Ghana Convention 2025. 

The one-day gathering will be held on 24 September at the ILA Penthouse & Rooftop Garden in Manhattan and will feature a packed agenda of presidential and ministerial sessions, industry dialogues, a diaspora investment forum, and a Made-in-Ghana expo.

Event coordinator Mensah Kaleb said the decision to create a dedicated Ghana platform was long overdue.

“This is the first time Ghana will command its own spotlight on the UNGA sidelines. We’ve always been part of other people’s programmes. This time, Ghana is the headline.”

Resetting Ghana’s Global Pitch

Organisers say the convention marks a strategic shift from fragmented promotion efforts to a unified national push to position Ghana as a credible, investor-ready destination.

Explaining the central mission, Kaleb said: “Our main goal is to project Ghana as another investment destination and to pull investment into the country… to create a pipeline where people in the diaspora would see Ghana as one of the first options for an investment destination.”

He added that the policy and regulatory landscape has become far more coherent in recent years, making this the right time to push.

“Investors want clarity, and there is more clarity now. Government agencies know where investments can go. The environment is ready,” he told The High Street Journal.

Fixing Longstanding Gaps

By creating a single high-level platform, the organisers hope to tackle what they see as persistent gaps in Ghana’s investment outreach, where government agencies and private players often pitch projects in isolation, with little coordination or follow-up.

Kaleb said the lack of structure has held many strong local projects back.

“There are many world-class Ghanaian projects in energy, fintech, agribusiness and culture that never reach the right partners because they are scattered. We want to change that story.”

Post-event structures will include B2B deal rooms, project pipelines and working groups to track engagements, coordinated in partnership with the Diaspora Affairs Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. BIDEC says this will break from the “one-off showmanship” that has long plagued such international forums.

High-Profile Lineup

The scale of the event is reflected in its roster. Invited speakers include Ghana’s President, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance, and Youth Development and Empowerment, along with the heads of the National Petroleum Authority, the National Identification Authority, the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and Niche Cocoa Company Limited.

Confirmed speakers include Kofi Okyere Darko, Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President; Samuel Gyamfi, CEO of the Ghana Gold Board; Didacus Jules, Director General of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; Olivier Kamanzi, President of the Africa Global Chamber of Commerce; Ebenezer Ahlator, Executive Director of the Bureau for Ghana Languages; Wakefield Ackuako, Executive Director of the National Commission on Culture; and Solomon Adjei, CEO of the Association of Ghana Startups.

They will be joined by leading voices from the African diaspora across North America, the Caribbean, and Europe, alongside several industry captains.

Culture, Innovation and a New Narrative

While economics sits at its core, organisers say culture and innovation will be critical to reshaping Ghana’s global brand. The Made-in-Ghana expo will showcase local brands, creative industries, and value-added agriproducts, while panel sessions will explore cultural diplomacy, youth entrepreneurship, creative economies, and digital trade.

Kaleb said the aim is to present a new face of Ghana to the world. “This is not just about selling products; it’s about selling a new Ghanaian story, modern, innovative, and rooted in culture.”

Outcomes Over Optics

Unlike previous promotional events, organisers say the Ghana Convention will be judged not by its spectacle but by its outcomes.

Kaleb said they plan to monitor every deal and conversation that emerges from the gathering.

“We will measure ourselves by how many real engagements we secure and how many we see through to success. We are asking everyone who has a skill, product, or expertise that can project Ghana to put their weight behind this.”

He wrapped up with a passionate call for collective action, urging Ghanaians and the diaspora to rally behind the country’s growth and global image.

“We would encourage that anybody that is able to would put their weight and their belief in the potential of Ghana… if they have anything, a skill set, product or anything that they feel would project the name of Ghana,” he said, emphasizing the need for everyone to contribute their quota to the country’s advancement.

About BIDEC INC

BIDEC INC is a transatlantic organisation that promotes strategic diaspora engagement through business, cultural and policy platforms. Operating across Africa, the Caribbean and North America, it works to advance economic development, cultural diplomacy and global partnerships, serving as a bridge between governments, industry leaders and the diaspora.

For more information, visit: https://ghana-convention.vercel.app/

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