The Director General of the World Trade Organization, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, has urged Ghana to sign the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement, arguing it could help shift Africa’s export structure away from raw commodities into higher value manufacturing and services.
She told Ghana’s Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu Adjare, in a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of UNCTAD XVI in Geneva that Africa’s export profile, where over 60 percent of exports remain primary commodities, can be transformed through stronger investment facilitation and value chain integration.
Dr. Okonjo Iweala said joining the IFD would position Ghana to attract sustainable investment, support micro, small and medium enterprises, and drive structural transformation under the African Continental Free Trade Area and WTO frameworks.
Both sides reviewed ongoing WTO reform efforts ahead of the 14th Ministerial Conference, noting that negotiations are now centered on subsidies, protectionism and development mandates. The WTO chief encouraged Ghana to continue playing an active role in shaping outcomes that serve the interests of developing countries.
On bilateral trade with the United States, Ofosu Adjare briefed the WTO head on Ghana’s concerns around African Growth and Opportunity Act linked tariffs. She recalled that Ghana had initially hoped for tariff relief but was later faced with a 15 percent tariff rate, up from an initial 10 percent.
Dr. Okonjo Iweala said her recent engagements with US officials have focused on encouraging greater US investment in Africa and fairer trade practices rather than punitive measures. The Minister told the WTO chief that Ghana is initiating consultations with African Trade Ministers to harmonize border procedures and remove implementation bottlenecks under the AfCFTA.
Dr. Okonjo Iweala lauded Ghana’s standing within the WTO system, stating that Ghana is too precious to the WTO to owe. She praised the country for submitting high quality candidates for WTO capacity building and training programmes, noting that Ghanaian participants have demonstrated excellence and professionalism in every cohort.
She said she would use her office to support Ghana’s accession to the C4 Plus Cotton Club to advance its textiles and garments agenda, while urging improvements in notifications and transparency submissions with Secretariat support.
