The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) announces that its Executive Secretary, Mr. Samson Asaki Awingobit, has departed Accra for Manila, Philippines, to participate in the 2026 International World Rice Conference (IWRC) scheduled for 7th – 9th October, 2026 at the Dusit Thani Manila.
The conference, organised by The Rice Trader and the International Commodity Institute, brings together major stakeholders across the global rice value chain, including rice producers, farmers, traders, importers, exporters, millers, shippers, policymakers, researchers and other industry players.
Mr. Awingobit’s participation marks his third attendance at the International World Rice Conference. He previously participated in the 2024 edition in Manila, Philippines, from 5th – 7th November, 2024, and the 2025 edition in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from 6th – 9th November, 2025.
The IEAG considers the conference particularly important to Ghana’s trade and food security interests, given the strategic role of rice in Ghana’s import and food supply chain. The conference provides an important platform for gaining market intelligence, identifying reliable sources of supply, exploring new trading opportunities and building direct relationships with international rice producers and suppliers.
The Association notes that Mr. Awingobit’s previous participation has already produced tangible benefits for Ghanaian businesses. Through contacts and engagements established at the conferences, he has helped connect Ghanaian rice importers with rice farmers, producers and trading partners in the Philippines and Cambodia, while creating opportunities for Ghanaian businesses to explore and establish commercial relationships in those markets.
The IEAG emphasizes that the Executive Secretary’s participation is therefore not merely about attending an international conference but forms part of the Association’s broader efforts to open new markets, strengthen Ghana’s international trade relationships, improve access to competitive sources of rice and create opportunities for Ghanaian importers and exporters.
The Association is confident that Mr. Awingobit’s participation in the 2026 conference will yield further strategic partnerships, market opportunities and trade-related benefits for Ghana, particularly for businesses operating within the rice importation and distribution value chain.
