The Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG), Samson Asaki Awingobit, has left Accra for Manila, Philippines, to participate in the 2026 International World Rice Conference (IWRC).

The conference is scheduled for October 7 to 9, 2026, at the Dusit Thani Manila.

Organised by The Rice Trader and the International Commodity Institute, the conference brings together stakeholders across the global rice value chain, including producers, farmers, traders, importers, exporters, millers, shippers, policymakers, researchers and other industry players.

This will be Mr Awingobit’s third participation in the International World Rice Conference.

He previously attended the 2024 conference in Manila from November 5 to 7, 2024, and the 2025 edition in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from November 6 to 9, 2025.

The IEAG said the conference is important to Ghana’s trade and food security interests, given the strategic role of rice in the country’s import and food supply chain.

According to the Association, the conference provides an opportunity to gain market intelligence, identify reliable sources of supply, explore new trading opportunities and build direct relationships with international rice producers and suppliers.

The IEAG said Mr Awingobit’s previous participation had produced benefits for Ghanaian businesses.

Through contacts and engagements established at the conferences, he has helped connect Ghanaian rice importers with farmers, producers and trading partners in the Philippines and Cambodia.

The Association said these engagements have also created opportunities for Ghanaian businesses to explore and establish commercial relationships in those markets.

The IEAG said Mr Awingobit’s participation is therefore part of its 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 expressed confidence that his participation in the 2026 conference will lead to further strategic partnerships, market opportunities and trade-related benefits for Ghana, particularly for businesses operating within the rice importation and distribution value chain.