The Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry has praised the Made-in-Ghana Bazaar as a bold platform for strengthening economic diplomacy and boosting the country’s export drive.
Deputy Minister Mr. Sampson Ahi said the Bazaar had grown beyond an exhibition of local goods into a strategic tool for trade promotion and global engagement.
“This year’s theme, Championing Economic Diplomacy: Connecting Producers, Markets, and Opportunities, reminds us that economic diplomacy is not just a slogan, but a dynamic process that integrates trade promotion, investment facilitation, and the advancement of our national economic interests,” he said.
Initiated in 2018 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the three-day Bazaar has been institutionalised as a flagship event.
It brings together Ghanaian producers, foreign diplomats, trade experts and business associations to showcase products such as processed cocoa, shea butter, textiles, handicrafts and value-added minerals.
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Mr. Ahi stressed that the synergy between trade diplomacy and trade policy, led respectively by the Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministries was crucial to advancing Ghana’s export and industrialisation agenda.
He disclosed that a comprehensive brochure was being developed as part of this year’s event to serve as a global directory of Made-in-Ghana products, to be distributed through Ghana’s diplomatic missions abroad.
“With proper collaboration, this directory will evolve into a strategic trade tool that supports our national export strategy, enhances business-to-business linkages, and strengthens Ghana’s global trade presence,” he noted.
The Deputy Minister praised the combined efforts of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), and the Ghana Export-Import Bank (GEXIM), which are supporting local businesses with financing, market development, and investment facilitation.
Highlighting the opportunities of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), he said Ghana was uniquely positioned to align the Made-in-Ghana brand with continental markets and global value chains.
Chief of Staff, Mr. Julius Debrah, also urged Ghana’s envoys to become frontline ambassadors for Made-in-Ghana goods, emphasising that strong exports were critical to reducing import dependency.
“Even if it is only Ghanaian chocolate, let it be your mission that someone in your host country gets to know it, tastes it, and imports it. That alone makes you a successful envoy,” he said.
He added that products such as kente, handicrafts, and traditional footwear could capture wider global appeal if marketed with compelling cultural narratives, while also calling on Ghanaians to rekindle national pride in using local goods.
Foreign Minister Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa described the Bazaar as a vital instrument of economic diplomacy. He revealed that promotion of Made-in-Ghana goods has been made part of the performance indicators for Ghana’s Heads of Mission abroad.
“Governments across the world are consciously promoting fairs, exhibitions, and missions to secure markets for their products. Ghana cannot be left behind,” he stressed.
Mr. Ablakwa disclosed that 12 Ghana Missions abroad have already established Made-in-Ghana Corners in collaboration with GEXIM, with plans to expand into permanent shops worldwide.
He cited strong international demand for Ghanaian palm oil, cashew nuts, cocoa products, shea butter, textiles, beverages, and agricultural tools, while noting reports of rising interest in brands such as GIHOC Distilleries, Kasapreko, Joy Industries, and Crocodile Machetes.
According to him, government’s flagship programmes, including the Rapid Industrialisation for Jobs Initiative, the Women in Trade Programme, and the Accelerated Export Development Programme are all aligned to create jobs, empower women and youth, and expand exports through platforms like the Bazaar.
