An accomplished Ghanaian diaspora gives Atlanta a leg up in boosting trade ties with one of West Africa’s most dynamic economies, the country’s ambassador said as he visited the city this week. 

Victor Emmanuel Smith, who followed up a Savannah mission in January by leading a delegation to the Georgia captial this week, said Ghanaian professionals living in the U.S. serve as “bridges of trust” to help de-risk potential investments by established U.S. companies and startups alike. 

“We want diaspora Ghanaians not only to remit funds home, but to participate actively in enterprise development, industrial partnerships, venture capital, tourism, skill development and infrastructure investment. Our doors are open. We welcome partnerships that create jobs for our youth, expand opportunities for women and entrepreneurs,” he said during a forum at the Buckhead Club where Africans from Ghana and other countries outlined their successes in the country. 

In an interview at City Hall with Global Atlanta after meeting with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Mr. Smith said it disturbs him to see Ghanaians leaving the country for the U.S. instead of contributing to growth at home. 

Those who have gone abroad to develop their skills and careers now have a chance to substantively give back by helping drive investment and trade throught strategic partnerships, he added.

“Because the Ghanaian diasporan understands the culture of the people of Ghana, as well as the culture of doing business here in America, they would act as a protection for investments. The risk is minimized,” Mr. Smith told Global Atlanta. 

The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre’s incentives for inbound investors were outlined during the Buckhead forum, with the embassy’s trade officials focusing on the need for value addition in the agricultural sector, along with technology and energy as key sectors to go along with mining and critical minerals. 

Jacques Nack of the JNN Group, a California entrepreneur of African origins who has also raised a $40 million African diaspora venture fund, said his investment thesis is centered on strengthening Ghana’s farmers and workers. 

“We are the bridges of trust, culture and innovation that the ambassador described, and our fund is structured to embody just that two we will invest in partnership, not in extraction. We back founders that are building for generations, not for the quick exits,” he said. 

On the energy front, Samuel Nana Brew-Butler, chairman of Cen Power Generation Ltd., outlined how Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has restored trust in government by catching up on public utilities’ payments to the company.

But he also positioned the company, a special-purpose vehicle, as a model for how an Africa-led firm can attract international investment from world-leading cpompanies and institutions. 

“I’m getting this message across, that we can do it. We are able, and we have done it,” Mr. Brew-Butler said, adding that the company is now moving into utility-scale solar developments, both domestically and in other African countries.

Mr. Smith, the ambassador, confirmed that Ghana is in the midst of collecting statements of international interest in its effort to bring back a national airline. 

On that front, he traveled to Seattle in late April in an attempt to enlist Boeing’s participation as a “strategic partner” in the initiative. Atlanta — home to Delta Air Lines, which re-instated a seasonal flight to the Ghana capital of Accra from December to March, and the busiest airport in the world at Hartsfield-Jackson — could play a key role in the country’s aviation ascent, he said.

The ambassador noted he hadn’t spoken with Delta on this trip, but he was welcomed at the airport upon arrival and expressed interest in the Sister Airport Program that Hartsfield-Jackson has launhced with other African nations. 

“Of course, there’s a lot we can learn from the airport here in Atlanta, I actually suggested to the leadership that probably we could arrange for the managers of our airport in Ghana to visit,” the ambassador said.

Gaining more airlift — and sustaining that launched by airlines like Delta — is essential to solidying Ghana’s strong growth as a tourist destination, capitalizing on exposure like the NYT’s 52 places to go list in 2023 and trends like Detty December, which emerged in the years after the government launched the Year of Return to woo diasporans to the country in 2019. 

“The potential is there, but I don’t think we’ve done enough,” he said, noting that sports, fashion and music are key drivers of transatlantic connectivity. 

Similarly to his plans to deepen ties with the airport, Mr. Smith noted that his January visit to the Port of Savannah illustrated the need to share best practices on logistics.

“We have a lot to learn. We’re doing it, but I don’t think we are there yet. We need to learn some of the best practices that we saw during our trip.” 

The ambassador indicated that this trip to Atlanta was the starting point — not the finish line — in a new effort to better connect the city with Ghana. 

After a collegial meeting with Mayor Dickens, Mr. Smith told Global Atlanta that sustained dialogue on both sides will be vital. 

“The follow-up is critical. Otherwise, I can’t tell my story. My story is not complete,” he said, showing faith that his newfound relationship with the Atlanta mayor will pay dividends. “I can keep nudging, knocking on his door. He may be very busy, but at least if he links us up with the right people, we’re able to take that business from here. And maybe he will come and help us commission Atlanta business in Accra.” 

The key, however, is ensuring that that the diaspora is activated and energized, which is the purpose of a local event the ambassador is headlining with Quabena Kitchen on Saturday, May 16. 

Matilda Arhin, the founder of the Ghana International Chamber of Commerce in Atlanta and a longtime connector between the city and her home country, said the diaspora is a competitive advantage for the U.S. that countries like China do not enjoy. 

“If you are in this room and you’re thinking of partnership and anything else, the diaspora is your natural route,” Ms. Arhin said during the Buckhead event, which the chamber helped convene. 

The ambassador echoed her sentiment: “If (the diaspora) is missing, then it becomes business as usual.”

Mr. Smith’s comments on logistics, ag-tech and engaging Atlanta’s Black community echoed those of previous inbound Ghanaian officials, who referred to Atlanta as “the world’s America’s African American capital.” 

See the closing remarks of Mr. Smith’s business-forum speech, highlighting Ghana’s commitment to the rule of law and adherence to “democratic governance, religious tolerance and peaceful political transitions” during a time of international turbulence:  

Stability matters, credibility matters, predictability matters, and these are among Ghana’s strongest competitive advantages. Our vision is clear: to position Ghana as a preferred destination for investment, trade, innovation and strategic engagement in Africa. That vision cannot be achieved by government alone. It requires credible partnership, between governments, businesses, academic, communities and the diaspora. This is why engagements such as this matter greatly. As ambassador of Ghana to the United States, I remain committed to facilitating meaningful relationships that move from conversation to execution, from goodwill to measurable impact.

Let us therefore use this moment to build lasting bridges between Ghana and Georgia, between Africa and America, and between opportunity and action. Together, we can transform shared interest shared prosperity. Together, we can build partnerships that uplift our people and strengthen economic ties across the Atlantic. And together, we can ensure that the next chapter of Ghana-U.S. relations is defined not merely by diplomacy, but by enterprise, innovation and transformational collaboration. God bless Ghana, God bless the United States, and I thank you very much.