Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare is the Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry

The Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has made a passionate appeal for the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) during high-level talks with senior US officials in Washington DC, as part of efforts to safeguard Ghana’s trade interests.

The discussions, held on Monday, June 9, 2025, was against the backdrop of the US’ “America First” trade policy launch and 10% tariffs on global exports, including shipments from Ghana which poses increasing challenges for African exporters.

Ofosu-Adjare led a high-powered delegation comprising Ambassador Jane Gasu Ahemtor, Acting Head of Mission Dr Mary Awusi, CEO of the Ghana Free Zones Authority, and the Deputy CEO of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, Abdul Razak for the engagement.

On the part of the US, attendees included the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Middle East and Africa, Thomas Bruns and Giancarlo Cavallo from the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa.

The meeting focused on critical trade policy matters and to deepen the economic ties between the two nations.

Central to the discussions was the future of AGOA, which is set to expire in September 2025.

Ghana's trade ministry underscored Ghana’s strong support for the program’s renewal, describing AGOA as a “win-win” framework that has driven significant US investments into Ghana, particularly in the garment and textile industries.

She also voiced key concerns regarding Ghana’s local content policy, the continued importation of over-aged vehicles and excavators, and unsettled debts owed to US companies while assuring stakeholders that Ghana it is actively working to resolve these issues.

Both sides reaffirmed the importance of resuming structured dialogue under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), reflecting their shared intent to reinvigorate economic ties.

As part of ongoing engagements, Ofosu-Adjare is scheduled to meet with the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) in coming weeks for continued bilateral consultations.

SP/VPO

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