Global Capacity Building: Accra, Ghana

From the 18^th  till the 20^th of July, the Dutch Cycling Embassy participated in the organization of a three-day training taking place in Accra, Ghana. West-African mobility experts were invited to share knowledge on the power of cycling to create equitable and livable cities for all. Together with experts and participants from around Africa and the Netherlands, the training focused on sharing knowledge and determining how to stimulate cycling in West-Africa and beyond.

The workshop started with inspiring and encouraging welcome words from the Mayor of Accra, Elizabeth K. T. Sackey as well as the Dutch Ambassador to Ghana, Mr. Jeroen Verheul. The Ambassador shared the following: ‘’We all know about the advantages (of cycling), but we also need to look at the challenges: it’s hot, it’s currently not safe and there isn’t a cycle culture yet, we have to overcome this. Having professionals working together will help to achieve the objective of more and safe active mobility in Ghana!’’ and the Mayor ended her speech with a task towards the participants: ‘’Make Ghana great in terms of cycling!”. After the welcoming words, the workshop continued with defining participants personal learning objectives, further introducing the active mobility topic with insights about cycling developments from across the world whereafter a short walking and cycling tour followed. The participants were all excited about getting out and try for themselves. We were guided by local employees from the World Recourses Institute. Interestingly, when being outside we all experienced that car drivers have limited respect for those by foot or cycling!

The second day included a full deep-dive, from discussing traffic safety to the need of putting policies into action as well as rethinking the benefits of informal businesses within public space and how they can support the development of safe active mobility. The intense deep-dive was closed off with a communal dinner where a majority of the participants enthusiastically joined the organizers of the training by walking towards the restaurant.

The final day continued with an interactive session focused on how to finance active mobility as well as developments around the Pan-African Action Plan for Active Mobility (PAPAAM). The participants proudly presented in groups about their take on PAPAAM. Before the ceremony of certificates, the whole group reflected and evaluated the training by sharing their main learnings as well as their next steps. One of the participants among others shared that, ‘’I realize that we are not utilizing the opportunities which active mobility can bring us.’’ Additionally, another participants shared the following: ‘’I am a woman and when I cycle here (in Accra) I have always felt inferior. When I saw you (the three female organizers of the training) cycling and our female mayor speaking up about her wish to stimulate cycling, it really meant a lot to me.’’ And on a final note, one of the participants who is part of the Road Safety Authority shared: ‘’Due to this training I am not only going to continue to work for and increase traffic safety, including cycling, but I am actually going to continue while at the same time actively advocating for an increase of active mobility.’’

It was truly inspiring week with a dedicated and passionate group of participants that are ready to advocate and act for change!

The workshop was co-organized by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the UN Environment Programme, World Resources Institute, Ochenuel Mobility, Mobycon and Dutch Enterprise Agency.