Ghana is urging Türkiye and Africa to redefine their economic relationship by transitioning from traditional trade to co-investment, technology transfer, and industrial collaboration as a pathway to long-term, inclusive growth.
Addressing the 5th Türkiye–Africa Business and Economic Forum (TABEF) in Istanbul, Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Sampson Ahi, called for a “transformative shift” in Türkiye–Africa relations that prioritizes joint value creation, innovation, and sustainable industrial partnerships.
Speaking under the theme “Navigating Global Economic Uncertainty: Strengthening Türkiye–Africa Partnerships,” Ahi said both regions must deepen their strategic alliances to withstand challenges such as volatile capital flows, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical instability.
He described the Türkiye–Africa relationship as a “shared vessel” for navigating global turbulence, emphasizing that sustainable progress depends on trust, policy alignment, and mutual benefit.
Highlighting Africa’s economic potential, Ahi pointed to the continent’s young population and the transformative promise of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), whose Secretariat is based in Accra. He said Ghana is advancing industrial competitiveness through initiatives such as the Accelerated Export Development Programme, Feed the Industry Programme, Made-in-Ghana Promotion Campaign, Rapid Industrialization for Jobs Programme, and programmes supporting women and youth in agribusiness.
Ahi stressed that agribusiness remains at the heart of Ghana’s economic transformation, with policies designed to strengthen value chains, improve productivity, and enhance SME participation in export markets.
Turning to Türkiye’s growing role in Africa, Ahi noted that the country has evolved from a trading partner to a strategic investor, citing Turkish investments in infrastructure, healthcare, and manufacturing in Ghana. Bilateral trade between the two nations reached $888 million in 2023, and is projected to surpass $900 million by 2025, with both sides targeting $1 billion by 2027.
The Deputy Minister said that while current trade is dominated by Ghanaian exports of gold and cocoa and Turkish manufactured goods, the future must focus on joint industrial ventures in high-value sectors such as pharmaceutical production, renewable energy, agri-food processing, and digital infrastructure.
To drive this evolution, Ahi called for policy harmonization, investment de-risking mechanisms, and stronger public–private collaboration to attract long-term capital and sustain growth.
Describing Türkiye and Africa as “natural partners” with Türkiye bridging Europe and Asia, and Africa emerging as a global growth frontier, he proposed a new framework for South–South economic cooperation built on shared ambition and innovation.
“Let us therefore advocate for a partnership that is bold in its ambition, balanced in its execution, and transformational in its outcomes. We need to keep the momentum of charting pathways for transforming from goodwill to concrete action and from dialogue to delivery,” Ahi said.
Ahi reaffirmed Ghana’s readiness to deepen engagement with Türkiye, emphasizing that both sides must turn the outcomes of the Forum into tangible investment partnerships that accelerate industrialization and create shared prosperity.
