ACCRA: Switzerland imported over US$2 billion worth of gold from Ghana in 2016 alone for conversion to finished products for the world market. This shows an overwhelming increase of about US$90 million dollars over the 2015 figure of US$1 billion.
The Charge de Affairs of the Swiss Embassy in Ghana, Roland Fischer, announced this at the annual Swiss-Ghanaian Chamber of Commerce (SGCC) cocktail and business executives meeting in Accra.
In 2014 alone, the volume of trade between Switzerland and Ghana hit US$1.8 billion and has since been rising every year.
Within the same period, Ghana imported US$14.8 billion, making it the 87th largest importer in the world.
Over the last five years, the imports of Ghana have increased at an annualized rate of 13.7 per cent from US$7.8 billion in 2009 to US$14.8 billion in 2014.
The most recent imports are led by refined petroleum which represents 14.7 per cent of the total imports of Ghana, followed by crude petroleum, which accounts for 3.68 per cent.
