Ghana and the US have taken steps to strengthen their economic and trade partnership following a series of high-level talks held in Washington, DC. Ghana’s Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, led a delegation in talks with senior officials of the US Department of Commerce aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation.
The talks come at a time when the US’s “America First” trade policy has led to the imposition of a 10% general tariff on imports from many countries, including Ghana. The meeting provided an opportunity to address these developments and explore ways to promote mutual growth.
Minister Ofosu-Adjare was joined by Ambassador Jane Gasu Aheto, Chief of Mission at the Ghanaian Embassy in Washington; Dr. Mary Awusi, and Ghana’s top business people, CEO of the Free Zones Authority; and Abdul Razak, Deputy CEO of the Investment Promotion Centre.
On the US side, key participants included Assistant Secretary for the Middle East and Africa Thomas Bruns and Deputy Director of the Presidential Advisory Board on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) Giancarlo Cavallo.
The discussions centered on issues related to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), Ghana’s local content laws, import regulations, outstanding payments to US firms, and the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA).
Minister Ofosu-Adjare reiterated the Ghana’s commitment to close bilateral cooperation and strongly supported the renewal of AGOA, which is due to expire in September 2025. She emphasized the importance of the agreement in attracting US investment, particularly in the country’s growing apparel and textile industry, describing it as a mutually beneficial arrangement.
She also addressed the concerns about the impact of local content regulations on US mining firms, noting that Ghana was reviewing the impact of these policies and remained open to dialogue. The US delegation acknowledged Ghana’s outward efforts and emphasized the importance of continued engagement to align development priorities with investor needs.
Other issues raised included US concerns about excavators and older vehicles being exported to Ghana. US officials called for clearer import guidelines and stronger compliance with standards.
In response to questions about overdue payments to US companies, the Minister assured that the their Ministry of Finance was actively working to resolve the issue.
Both countries have expressed interest in resuming talks under the TIFA framework to formalize and expand trade and investment cooperation.
Minister Ofosu-Adjare, who also serves as the Member of Parliament for Techiman North, is scheduled to hold further meetings with the Office of the US Trade Representative in the coming weeks to continue bilateral consultations.