Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry of the Republic of Ghana, has reiterated her country’s commitment to free trade, emphasizing that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement has the potential to be a game changer for Africa’s industrialization.
Speaking to Members of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) Committee on Trade, Customs, and Immigration Matters—currently in Ghana for an assessment mission on the implementation of the AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative and to advocate for the ratification of the African Union Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence, and Right of Establishment—the Minister cautioned that the industrialization and trade potential of the AfCFTA will not be realized without adequate quality infrastructure systems. These, she noted, include metrology, standardization, accreditation, quality management, and conformity assessment mechanisms.
Hon. Ofosu-Adjare called on the Pan-African Parliament to play a key role in supporting her ministry’s efforts to engage Member States at regional and continental levels to identify priority products and value chains for standards harmonization across Africa—an essential step toward realizing the full trade and industrialization potential of the AfCFTA.
“We are committed to strengthening Ghana’s trade and industrial sectors, promoting agribusiness, and driving economic transformation through strategic policies. We are further committed to making trade with other countries seamless and it’s a responsibility we take seriously as the host of the AfCFTA Secretariat,” she affirmed.
Hon. Rodney Cloete (Namibia), speaking on behalf of the Pan-African Parliament delegation, commended Ghana for its longstanding commitment to regional integration and the facilitation of free movement across the continent, particularly through its visa-free policy that has opened its borders to many African nationals.
“As the host of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Ghana’s policies are fully aligned with the African Union’s vision of greater economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area,” Hon. Cloete noted.
The Pan-African Parliament plays a key role in facilitating the implementation of the policies, objectives, and programmes of the AU, and in overseeing their effective execution by AU organs and Member States.
Within the framework of its 2025 work plan, the Pan-African Parliament on Trade, Customs, and Immigration Matters resolved to undertake an assessment mission on Ghana’s implementation of the AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative and to advance advocacy for the ratification of the AU Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence, and Right of Establishment. Ghana is one of the countries that has signed but has not yet ratified the Protocol.
