By James Amoh Junior, GNA

Accra, July 4, GNA – Madam Dzifa Gomashie, the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, has called on the United States to renew and modernize the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) ahead of its expiration in September 2025.

She described the trade framework as essential for driving economic growth, job creation, and poverty reduction across Africa.

Speaking at the 249th Independence Day celebration of the United States held in Accra, the Minister said Ghana joined many voices across the continent in urging the U.S. Congress to act swiftly to extend the legislation.

That, she added, had provided duty-free access for qualifying African exports to the U.S. market since 2000.

“AGOA remains a critical mechanism for deepening U.S.-African trade, reducing poverty and driving shared prosperity within a fair, rules-based global economy,” she said.

“We are equally eager to explore emerging trade and investment frontiers in renewable energy, digital innovation, pharmaceuticals and green industrialization.”

She noted that since its inception, AGOA had opened meaningful opportunities for Ghanaian businesses, particularly in textiles and apparel, agriculture, and value-added manufacturing, by improving export capacity and integrating small and medium-sized enterprises into global markets.

In 2024 alone, Ghana’s exports to the United States under AGOA reached approximately $1.2 billion, according to data from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Key export categories included apparel, cocoa products, and processed agricultural goods. “These trade flows are more than mere statistics,” the Minister stressed, and that “they reflect the livelihoods, dignity, and empowerment of Ghanaian workers, especially women and young people.”

Madam Gomashie commended the U.S. for its continued support to Ghana’s development goals, citing bilateral development assistance through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as an example of sustained cooperation.

“In 2024, USAID committed approximately $150 million in bilateral development assistance to Ghana,” she said, adding that “This funding is allocated to various sectors, including health, agriculture and education, with a focus on improving maternal and child health, enhancing food security and expanding access to clean water and sanitation.”

She highlighted the broader scope of U.S.-Ghana cooperation, including the 2023 U.S.-Ghana Business Expo held in Accra, providing a valuable platform for strengthening business-to-business linkages and boosting trade and investment flows.

The Minister also cited technical and financial assistance from the United States to Ghana’s fisheries sector, support to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and investments of over $2 million in northern Ghana to empower women and youth and promote cultural expression as further evidence of a dynamic and multifaceted partnership.

“Our relationship is grounded in shared values of democracy, good governance and mutual respect,” Madam Gomashie said, adding that “It is reinforced through strong people-to-people connections and robust economic cooperation.”

Mr Rolf Olson, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Accra, emphasized the strong and evolving partnership between the two nations.

“Together, we have built a health infrastructure in Ghana that has saved millions of lives and prevented the spread of communicable diseases throughout the West African region,” he said.

He added that cooperation between the two countries had also strengthened agriculture, trained civic and community leaders, and supported job creation through initiatives like AGOA.

Looking ahead, Mr Olson expressed optimism about growing economic ties, stating that “Together, we can create increased prosperity for both our nations, building on our generations of connections between families and businesses.”

He said the U.S. was committed to fostering private sector-led growth in Ghana’s key sectors, including energy and mining, and emphasized the importance of favourable investment conditions for U.S. companies eager to expand in Ghana.

GNA

Edited by Christian Akorlie