Members of the Upper West Regional Shipper Committee have been sensitised on ways in which they can benefit from the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement, AfCFTA, with a focus on how they can successfully register their products under the agreement.
The meeting, which was held in Wa on 19th May 2022, became necessary as shippers in Ghana and other countries have intensified efforts to increase the volume of trade among countries on the continent and thereby benefit from the trade agreement.
Despite recurrent challenges – including poor road and rail links, political unrest, and excessive border bureaucracy – which appears to be hindering the smooth implementation of the continental agreement, importers and exporters are eager to participate and enjoy its benefits.
Currently, more than 850 products have been given approval for trade under the AfCFTA rules of origin protocols by the African Ministers of Trade. The items include cheese, edible oil, fish, and some machinery.
The Upper West Regional Manager of the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Jeremiah Tingan, took the members present at the meeting through the procedure of registration under AfCFTA, how to harness the benefits that come with it, as well as how to access the sub-regional market. It was on the theme: ‘Procedures for Registering your Products under AfCFTA’.
Participants expressed appreciation to the Ghana Shippers Authority for facilitating the meeting, as it would be beneficial to their activities going forward
The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) aims to bring together 1.3billion people in a US$3.4trillion economic bloc that will be the largest free trade area since the establishment of the World Trade Organisation. It is expected to boost trade among African neighbours, while allowing the continent to develop its own value chains.
