The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to advancing intra-African trade and strengthening continental economic integration following a high-level engagement with the African Union (AU) Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals, H.E. Francisca Tatchoup Belobe.
The AU Commissioner paid a courtesy call on the Minister to deepen collaboration between Ghana and the AU Secretariat and to explore practical measures to accelerate trade among African countries.
H.E. Tatchoup Belobe commended Ghana for its continued support for the AU’s continental integration agenda and highlighted the need for stronger political commitment to translate existing trade policies and frameworks into tangible benefits for businesses and citizens across Africa.
She noted that while progress had been achieved through the adoption of continental trade frameworks, intra-African trade was yet to reach its full potential due to persistent challenges, including payment systems, currency constraints and other barriers affecting cross-border commerce.
The Commissioner stressed the importance of developing practical solutions to remove obstacles to trade and create a more integrated African market.
She also acknowledged initiatives by institutions such as Afreximbank to facilitate cross-border payments and sought Ghana’s perspectives on strengthening such interventions.
She further emphasised the importance of supporting women and young entrepreneurs to actively participate in regional and continental trade, describing their inclusion as critical to achieving sustainable economic growth.
In response, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare welcomed the AU delegation and expressed Ghana’s readiness to continue partnering with the African Union to promote economic integration and unlock opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The Minister said Ghana was taking deliberate steps to address trade barriers, particularly non-tariff barriers, which she described as some of the most significant challenges confronting businesses operating across African borders.
She explained that while tariffs could be factored into production costs, non-tariff barriers often created more complex difficulties for businesses seeking to access new markets.
Hon. Ofosu-Adjare stressed the need for African countries to embrace the vision of a single continental market where goods, services, people and businesses can move freely to promote industrial growth and stronger regional value chains.
She disclosed that Ghana had appointed a new coordinator for the AfCFTA national office to assess the country’s progress in implementing the agreement, identify gaps and chart a clear path towards maximising the benefits of continental trade.
The Minister also highlighted government’s efforts to prepare Ghanaian businesses, especially women-owned enterprises, to participate effectively in export markets through training, capacity building and support programmes.
She noted that products such as gari, garments and other locally manufactured goods had significant potential in African markets and emphasised the need to establish stronger market connections for Ghanaian exporters.
Hon. Ofosu-Adjare further called for enhanced cooperation among African countries on standards and conformity assessment to facilitate smoother movement of goods across borders.
She said Ghana’s strong standards institutions and experience with international standards could support efforts to promote mutual recognition of standards across the continent and reduce unnecessary trade restrictions.
The Minister expressed confidence that Ghana’s existing policies in areas such as pharmaceuticals, components manufacturing, textiles and garments, and agribusiness could complement the work of the AfCFTA Secretariat and position the country to benefit from increased continental trade.
She noted that Ghana, as host of the AfCFTA Secretariat, remained committed to demonstrating the value of African integration and encouraging more countries to fully participate in the continental trade agend
Source:Mybrytfmonlline.com/Kwabena Nyarko Abronoma
