The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) Committee on Trade, Customs and Immigration Matters, led by Hon. Rodney Cloete (Namibia) and composed of Hon. Jonathan Dana (Zambia) and Hon. Hanna Belkhir (Morocco), held a working session with Ghana’s Parliamentary Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism as part of its assessment mission on the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Guided Trade Initiative (GTI) and advocacy for the ratification of the AU Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons.
Chairman of Ghana’s Committee on Trade, Hon. Alexander Roosevelt Hottordze, outlined the country’s key milestones since the launch of AfCFTA on 1 January 2021, hosted in Accra, Ghana. He underscored that the Guided Trade Initiative, launched in 2022, signified the start of real trading under AfCFTA, with Ghana among the pioneer participants. Since joining in October 2022, 63 Ghanaian SMEs have exported to Kenya and 51 others to various African countries, supported by the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) through logistics facilitation, access initiatives, and product aggregation centres.
Hon. Hottordze noted that the AfCFTA is already breaking down trade barriers and creating opportunities for African SMEs, industrial diversification, and digital trade growth. He added that the framework encourages innovation, job creation, and intra-African investments across logistics, manufacturing, and technology sectors—marking a shift from aid dependency to trade-driven prosperity.
Highlighting Ghana’s competitive edge, he cited the country’s political stability, conducive business environment, and improving trade infrastructure as key enablers of AfCFTA implementation. He further emphasized ongoing efforts to strengthen public-private partnerships, build capacity for local enterprises, and provide financial and technical support for SMEs to meet AfCFTA standards.
The engagement also examined the broader continental picture, noting that participation in AfCFTA trading has expanded from 7 pilot countries to 39 as of July 2023, signaling Africa’s readiness to trade with itself. However, challenges remain—particularly in tariff reduction delays, inadequate logistics infrastructure, and the lack of harmonized regulations.
Hon. Hottordze stressed the urgent need for harmonized standards, mutual recognition of certifications, customs cooperation, and simplified border procedures to enhance the free movement of goods and people across Africa. Ghana’s experience, where FDA-approved products still require re-approval in partner countries, was cited as an example of the regulatory bottlenecks that must be addressed.
Both Committees reaffirmed their commitment to advancing legislative frameworks that promote intra-African trade, industrialization, and economic integration under the AfCFTA, aligning with the aspirations of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
