Ghana is seeking to position the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a gateway for expanding trade and investment between Africa and the Caribbean, in a move that could open new markets for businesses and strengthen economic ties between the two regions.
President John Dramani Mahama said the country would use its upcoming one-year chairmanship of the African Union (AU) to promote stronger commercial partnerships between Africa and Caribbean countries, with particular emphasis on trade facilitation and investment cooperation.
The initiative presents an opportunity for Ghanaian businesses to explore new export destinations, attract investment from Caribbean economies and develop commercial partnerships in sectors where the two regions have complementary production and market capabilities.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, President Mahama made the commitment during bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Philip Edward Davis of The Bahamas.
He said Ghana is identifying priority areas to advance during its AU chairmanship, with the AfCFTA expected to serve as a central instrument for strengthening the continent’s economic relations with the Caribbean.
He said Ghana would also seek the support of The Bahamas in linking the AfCFTA with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), potentially creating a wider trading arrangement that would connect African markets with Caribbean economies.
The proposed cooperation would extend beyond trade agreements to practical measures aimed at reducing the cost and time involved in moving goods between the regions.
President Mahama identified direct air services, improved port-to-port connectivity and the removal of trade barriers as important measures for facilitating commercial exchanges.
He also disclosed that discussions had begun on labour exchange, which could create opportunities for the movement of skills and expertise between the two regions.
The proposed connectivity arrangements could be particularly significant for Ghanaian exporters, who may face additional freight costs, longer transit times and logistical difficulties when accessing Caribbean markets through indirect shipping routes.
For manufacturers and agricultural exporters, improved transport links could make products such as processed foods, pharmaceuticals, textiles and manufactured goods more competitive in overseas markets.
The AfCFTA provides a potentially significant platform for this ambition. The agreement seeks to establish a single African market of approximately 1.4 billion people, with a combined gross domestic product approaching US$3 trillion.
With its Secretariat headquartered in Accra, Ghana is strategically positioned to benefit from increased trade facilitation, investment promotion and commercial partnerships emerging from the continental agreement.
However, translating the proposed Africa-Caribbean partnership into commercial gains would require more than diplomatic commitments.
Businesses would need predictable shipping arrangements, competitive freight rates, simplified customs procedures, harmonised product standards and clearer market access conditions to trade profitably between the regions.
For Ghana, the opportunity also lies in attracting Caribbean investment into local manufacturing, agro-processing, tourism, logistics and other productive sectors, while helping domestic companies expand their export markets.
The National AfCFTA Coordination Office has identified trade facilitation, market access and support for Ghanaian enterprises as important elements of the country’s implementation efforts.
Ghana is expected to assume the African Union chairmanship in January 2027, giving the country an opportunity to advance the proposed economic partnership as part of its continental integration agenda.
For the private sector, the success of the initiative will ultimately depend on whether improved diplomatic relations translate into lower trade costs, stronger investment flows and sustained access to new markets.
