MADISON – Wisconsin is preparing to send a trade delegation to Africa later this month.
Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation are set to lead an economic partnership mission to Ghana and South Africa. According to the governor’s office, the trip is aimed at strengthening Wisconsin’s international business relationships, promoting state exports, and building educational, institutional, community, and people-to-people ties.
Evers says the mission comes as Wisconsin continues working to support businesses and regional economies through global partnerships. He says the trip will help promote Wisconsin as a place where industries can grow.
WEDC Secretary and CEO John W. Miller says Wisconsin businesses already have a presence in both Ghana and South Africa through trade relationships, distribution partnerships, and investment opportunities.
The planned itinerary includes a visit to Niche Cocoa Industry Limited, the largest cocoa processor in Ghana. The company operates its North American manufacturing facility in Franklin, Wisconsin. The governor’s office says that partnership represents the largest African foreign direct investment project in the food and beverage industry in the United States.
South Africa is also home to Wisconsin business activity involving industrial machinery, medical devices, agricultural products, and specialized manufacturing inputs. While there, Evers is expected to meet with Wisconsin companies that have an established presence in Africa, as well as government officials, to discuss future economic opportunities.
This will be Evers’ fourth trade mission since he was elected in 2018. His previous trade and investment missions included Japan in 2019, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg in 2023, and Germany and France in 2025.
