Ghana and Germany Strengthen Cooperation on Climate Change

Germany has pledged to continue supporting Ghana's efforts to combat climate change and transition to renewable energy. Till Mansmann, Commissioner for Innovation and Green Hydrogen at the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, made the commitment during a recent visit to Ghana.

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Mansmann acknowledged Ghana's leadership on climate issues, highlighting its participation in international forums like the Conference of the Parties (COP) and its current chairmanship of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF).

His visit aimed to solidify the partnership between the two nations towards achieving sustainable development and effective climate protection. Discussions were held with key stakeholders including the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change (WASCAL), and the United Nations University’s Institute of Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA). Regulatory bodies like the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) were also involved.

These collaborations, according to Mansmann, are crucial for fostering development opportunities, safeguarding the climate, and ensuring Ghana's energy security. He emphasized the significance of partnerships in hydrogen and energy, alongside research collaborations, in shaping the future of both Ghana's domestic hydrogen development and the global hydrogen market.

Germany has a history of actively supporting research in Ghana through funding initiatives like the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) and the Maria Sibylla Merian Institute for Advanced Studies in Africa (MIASA). Additionally, German government support has led to the establishment of two German-Ghanaian research centers at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology: the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR) and the German-West African Centre for Global Health and Pandemic Prevention.