ACCRA, GHANA (July 30, 2018) – Highlighted by a meeting with President Nana Akufo-Addo, the successful first leg of Governor Brian Sandoval’s trade mission to Africa wrapped up in Ghana on Sunday. Coordinated by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), the trade mission features higher education, mining and trade contingents as well as selected Nevada state officials. On Thursday, the delegation joined the Ghana business community for a meeting hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce-Ghana, Newmont Mining, and U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Robert P. Jackson.
“The friendship between Ghana and Nevada is a special one and it is wonderful to see the real impact partnerships, such as the nearly 27-year relationship between the Desert Research Institute and Ghana, has on the lives of people here,” said Governor Brian Sandoval. “There is a solid foundation in Ghana for a growing relationship based on innovation and trade to the mutual benefit of Ghanaians and Nevadans and I am pleased to have played a part in helping continue discussions.”
On Friday, the delegation heard from Dr. Kristen Averyt of the Desert Research Institute (DRI) about the Institute’s work in Ghana. Since 1991, DRI has provided technical training and research to water project staff in West Africa in the latest exploration and management techniques. DRI also has a memorandum of understanding with the University for Development Studies (UDS) in Northern Ghana to establish a first-in-the-region Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Center at UDS.
In January 2018, DRI and UDS cohosted the first international conference through the WASH Center. DRI and UDS also partnered with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to support the ongoing Integrated Sanitation, Hygiene, and Nutrition for Education (I-SHINE) project in 138 communities in Northern Ghana.
“The partnership with CRS on this critical work arose from the Nevada Governor’s trade mission to the Vatican,” GOED Director Paul Anderson said. “The focus of this project is to address the drop off in school attendance by girls reaching adolescence as a result of inadequate WASH services. Our meeting on Friday was a wonderful way to hear from various organizations about the philanthropic work being done in Ghana, as well as the opportunities for both Nevadan and Ghanaian businesses.”
After departing Ghana, the Nevada trade mission has moved on to South Africa, with stops over the next week in Cape Town and Durban.
This release was originally published by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED). To learn more about GOED, visit www.diversifynevada.com.
To learn more about DRI’s Center for International Water and Sustainability, visit: https://www.dri.edu/ciwas/.
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The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is a recognized world leader in basic and applied interdisciplinary research. Committed to scientific excellence and integrity, DRI faculty, students, and staff have developed scientific knowledge and innovative technologies in research projects around the globe. Since 1959, DRI’s research has advanced scientific knowledge, supported Nevada’s diversifying economy, provided science-based educational opportunities, and informed policy makers, business leaders, and community members. With campuses in Reno and Las Vegas, DRI serves as the non-profit research arm of the Nevada System of Higher Education. For more information, please visit www.dri.edu.
