The Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry (MoTAI) and TradeMark Africa (TMA) have renewed their partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening trade facilitation, boosting exports and supporting sustainable economic growth.
The renewed agreement reinforces the commitment of both institutions to deepen collaboration in implementing Ghana’s obligations under key trade frameworks, including the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) trade agenda.
The signing by the Hon. Minister for Trade Agribusines and Industry Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, and the Deputy CEO of Trade Mark Africa Madam Allen Sophia Asiime, will build on the success of an earlier partnership established in January 2023, which provided a strategic framework for advancing Ghana’s trade and economic development priorities.
Under the renewed partnership, TradeMark Africa and the Ministry of Trade agribusiness and Industry will continue implementing the Ghana Country Programme (GCP) Strategy, which focuses on delivering impactful interventions in trade facilitation, regional integration, private sector competitiveness and improved market access.
The new agreement will further support initiatives to modernise Ghana’s border management systems, strengthen digital trade infrastructure, improve logistics networks and reduce the time and cost of moving goods along the Abidjan–Lagos Corridor.
It will also promote stronger standards and quality systems to enhance export competitiveness, particularly for agricultural and manufactured products.
A key focus of the partnership is expanding opportunities for women, youth and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to participate in regional and AfCFTA trade through inclusive trade interventions and improved access to trade finance. The agreement will also help Ghana prepare for emerging green trade requirements.
Speaking on the impact of the partnership so far, Hon. Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare highlighted significant achievements, including her recent visit to commission the improved border management systems at the Akanu–Noepe Joint Border Post, where integrated digital customs systems, modern infrastructure and solar energy solutions have supported 24-hour border operations and reduced trade delays among others.
In a remark, Madam Allen Sophia Asiimwe commended government particularly the Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Ministry for the continued collaboration and hoped the partnership will further enhance under the renewed agreement.
Beyond infrastructure and technology, the collaboration has supported traders and businesses by strengthening institutional capacity, training border officials and providing export readiness support to 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 serve as a platform for scaling investments, increasing exports and advancing Ghana’s ambition of becoming a leading regional trade and investment hub. It aligns with national priorities focused on private sector-led growth, industrialisation, job creation and the development of a resilient export-driven economy.