Ghana targets non-tariff barriers to boost intra-African trade

Ghana is stepping up efforts to address non-tariff barriers that continue to hinder businesses from trading freely across African markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, said such barriers remained among the major challenges confronting businesses seeking to expand into markets across the continent.

She said this when the African Union Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals, H.E. Francisca Tatchoup Belobe, paid a courtesy call on her in Accra to discuss ways to deepen cooperation and accelerate intra-African trade.

Mrs Ofosu-Adjare explained that while tariffs could be incorporated into production and business costs, non-tariff barriers often created more complex challenges for traders and exporters.

She said addressing those obstacles was necessary to make the African Continental Free Trade Area more accessible and beneficial to businesses across the continent.

The Minister said Ghana remained committed to the vision of an integrated African market where goods, services, people and businesses could move more freely to support industrial growth and strengthen regional value chains.

She called for enhanced cooperation among African countries, particularly on standards and conformity assessment, to reduce unnecessary restrictions on the movement of goods across borders.

Mrs Ofosu-Adjare said Ghana's standards institutions and its experience with international standards could support efforts toward mutual recognition of standards across the continent.

She said such cooperation would help exporters meet market requirements more easily and reduce some of the bottlenecks that delayed cross-border trade.

The Minister noted that Ghana was also reviewing its progress under the AfCFTA following the appointment of a new coordinator for the national AfCFTA office.

She said the coordinator would assess Ghana's implementation of the agreement, identify gaps and help chart a clearer path towards maximising the country's benefits from continental trade.

Mrs Ofosu-Adjare said Ghana, as host of the AfCFTA Secretariat, would continue to work with African institutions and member states to demonstrate the benefits of deeper continental economic integration.

She said the removal of trade barriers would help create stronger markets for African businesses and open more opportunities for industrialisation across the continent.

H.E. Tatchoup Belobe said intra-African trade had yet to reach its full potential despite the adoption of continental trade frameworks.

She identified payment systems, currency constraints and other cross-border barriers as challenges requiring practical solutions.

The AU Commissioner called for stronger political commitment among African countries to translate existing trade policies into tangible benefits for businesses and citizens.

She commended Ghana for its support for the continental integration agenda and expressed the AU's readiness to deepen collaboration with the country.