From 5 to 10 May 2025, UNIDO ITPO Italy participated in an Institutional and Technical Mission to Ghana as part of the broader engagement of the Italian Cooperation System with the country. The mission, led by Minister Plenipotentiary Stefano Gatti, Director General for Development Cooperation at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, was aligned with Italy’s 2024–2026 Triennial Programming and the newly launched Piano Mattei, which identifies Ghana as a key priority country. The initiative aimed to strengthen bilateral cooperation with the new government of President John Dramani Mahama and to advance a series of programmatic initiatives focused on sustainable industrial development.

Meetings with Italian institutional representatives, including Ambassador Laura Ranalli, and key stakeholders such as AICS and UNIDO Ghana, underscored a shared commitment to inclusive and green industrial growth.

A central focus of the mission was the upcoming UNIDO ITPO Italy project on circular economy practices in Ghana’s textile sector, supported by AICS. Through engagement with strategic partners such as the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, and the World Trade Center Accra, the mission reinforced stakeholder alignment and laid the groundwork for pilot collaborations in textile upcycling, digital waste tracking, and vocational training. A field visit to Katamanto Market—West Africa’s largest second-hand clothing hub—organized with the support of The Or Foundation, offered firsthand insights into the informal economy and the urgent need for innovation, policy support, and capacity-building to address textile waste sustainably.

The mission elevated the visibility of UNIDO’s role in Ghana and identified synergies with other Italian-funded initiatives, such as the INSPIRE project by Università Cattolica. It also highlighted the importance of integrating digital tools, supporting women and youth entrepreneurship, and enhancing local infrastructure for waste management. The project supports Ghana’s National Industrial Transformation Agenda and contributes to key Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).