USVI Governor Leads Trade Mission to Ghana
US Virgin Islands Governor leads a multi-agency delegation to Ghana to pursue trade, tourism, finance and technology partnerships while deepening cultural ties with West Africa. The working visit will include meetings with Ghanaian government and business leaders aimed at producing tangible outcomes for Virgin Islanders.
US Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan is leading a senior delegation to Ghana on a trade and cultural mission aimed at converting shared history into concrete economic opportunities. The group includes representatives from the USVI Department of Tourism, the Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority (VIEDA) and the Virgin Islands Next Generation Network (viNGN).
Governor Bryan said the trip is intended to deliver “tangible results for Virgin Islanders while deepening cultural and historical connections between the territory and Africa.” “Ghana is not just a heritage destination for Virgin Islanders. It is a potential partner for trade, tourism, finance and technology,” Mr Bryan said. “This delegation is about turning shared history into shared opportunity.” He stressed the need to balance long-standing ties with Denmark — the former colonial power of the USVI — with a deliberate focus on West Africa as the ancestral home of many Virgin Islanders. “Both stories are part of who we are,” he added.
Bryan described the mission as a “working visit” with specific portfolios: tourism officials will discuss routes and tourism experiences; VIEDA will pursue investment and free zone opportunities; and viNGN will explore digital connectivity and fintech partnerships. “We want partnerships that put Virgin Islanders to work and create value in both directions,” he said.
During the visit the delegation is expected to hold high-level meetings with the Ghana Free Zones Authority, the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and senior officials at the Bank of Ghana. The itinerary also includes engagements with Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, a meeting with former President John Dramani Mahama, a tour of Osu Castle and outreach to business and community leaders in Accra’s Osu neighbourhood.
Officials say the outreach builds on years of people-to-people ties and cultural exchanges. Governor Bryan issued an executive order in 2019 designating May 25 as African Heritage Week and African Liberation Day in the USVI; since then delegations and cultural groups have taken part in Emancipation commemorations and exhibitions in Ghana.
For British Virgin Islands residents, the trip highlights a regional trend toward linking cultural heritage with economic development. Potential outcomes — expanded air and sea tourism routes, investment and free zone arrangements, and fintech or digital connectivity projects — could create employment and business opportunities across the Caribbean if partnerships extend beyond the USVI.
The delegation’s work will be watched closely for any formal agreements or initiatives that might offer models for the BVI and deepen ties across the Atlantic, officials said. Government House provided details of the mission.
Primary source: VINO