The Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry (MoTAI) and TradeMark Africa (TMA) have renewed their partnership with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening trade facilitation, increasing exports and supporting sustainable economic growth.
The agreement was signed by the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, and the Deputy CEO of TradeMark Africa, Allen Sophia Asiimwe. It builds on an earlier partnership established in January 2023 and seeks to strengthen Ghana’s implementation of key trade frameworks, including the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the ECOWAS trade agenda.
Under the renewed partnership, the two institutions will continue implementing the Ghana Country Programme Strategy, with emphasis on trade facilitation, regional integration, private-sector competitiveness and improved market access.
The agreement will support the modernisation of border management systems, digital trade infrastructure and logistics networks, while helping to reduce the time and cost involved in moving goods along the Abidjan–Lagos Corridor.
It will also promote stronger standards and quality systems to improve the competitiveness of Ghanaian agricultural and manufactured products in regional and international markets.
A key component of the partnership is to create greater opportunities for women, youth and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to participate in regional and AfCFTA trade through inclusive trade initiatives and improved access to trade finance.
Speaking on the partnership, Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare highlighted progress made under the previous collaboration, including improved border management systems at the Akanu–Noepe Joint Border Post. She said integrated digital customs systems, modern infrastructure and solar energy solutions have helped support 24-hour border operations and reduce trade delays.
TradeMark Africa Deputy CEO Allen Sophia Asiimwe commended the government, particularly the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, for the continued collaboration and expressed optimism that the renewed agreement would further strengthen Ghana’s trade and export agenda.
Beyond infrastructure and technology, the partnership has supported institutional capacity building, training for border officials and export-readiness programmes for SMEs. More than 1,250 women and small-scale cross-border traders have benefited from support on AfCFTA procedures, simplified trade processes and safer trading environments.
The renewed MoU is expected to help scale up investments, increase exports and advance Ghana’s ambition of becoming a leading regional trade and investment hub. It also supports national priorities focused on private-sector-led growth, industrialisation, job creation and the development of an export-driven economy.
Story by Freedom Etsey Lavoe
