Foreign Ministry highlights Ghana’s mission to facilitate trade under AfCFTA

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has demonstrated the role of Ghana’s mission to ensure and facilitate maximum gains in trading under the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

She stated that the government has put in place well-structured frameworks to support trading processes under the AfCFTA.

During a recent press briefing, the Minister mentioned that government will also ensure that participating countries adhere to the agreed protocols and strictly implement them to facilitate the trading process and most importantly avoid bias.

“Ghana, as a State Party, has put in place the essential institutional and implementation frameworks to support trading under the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) since the official start of trading on January 1, 2021. Key milestones and institutional arrangements have been put in place to facilitate trading,” she said.

“Market or project Ghana’s investment opportunities, link Ghanaian traders to develop joint ventures, partnerships, and business-to-business (B2B) alliance with their overseas counterparts. Inform Ghanaian stakeholders of specific products and services of foreign member countries. Undertake competitiveness trade and market analysis for Ghanaian products relative to other African markets. Protect and ensure Ghanaian traders are treated fairly in their respective countries and create a Central Trade Warehouse where bulk goods can be stored for retail purchase,” a few of the several roles enlisted by the Sector Minister.

The African Continental Free Trade Area is a free trade area founded in 2018, and originally commenced trade on January 1 2021. It was created by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement among 54 of the 55 African Union nations.

AfCFTA aims to boost intra-African trade by providing a comprehensive and mutually beneficial trade agreement among its member states. Trade includes goods, services, investment, intellectual property rights, and competition policy.