President John Dramani Mahama has pledged to deepen economic cooperation between Africa and the Caribbean through trade and investment partnerships.
Speaking during talks with the Prime Minister of The Bahamas, Philip Edward Davis, on the sidelines of the ongoing Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), he highlighted the opportunity to link the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), headquartered in Accra, with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to create a much larger trading bloc.
Such engagements form part of a broader strategy to bridge the gap between the two regions and unlock new opportunities for shared growth.
“We’ve been looking to see what areas to advance during Ghana’s [one-year] AU chairmanship. And one of the areas we are looking to focus on is the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), whose protocols we have signed; [the] majority of African countries have signed it, and we now have to deposit the instrument,” President Mahama said.
The President also recalled his earlier diplomatic drive in the Caribbean, citing his visit to Jamaica, where he held talks with Prime Minister Andrew Holness.
“In my talks with Prime Minister Andrew Holness, I announced that Ghana becomes Chairman of the…” he said, underscoring Ghana’s growing leadership role in championing South-South cooperation.
He proposed establishing direct air travel between the two blocs, port-to-port transit to maximise benefits, and a possible exchange of labour and expertise.
