The Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) has organised a webinar to sensitise shea exporters to leverage on the opportunities inherent in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The event which took place on 26th September, 2020 at the request of the Global Shea Alliance had 23 shea exporters participating across the country.
The Team Leader, Multilateral, Regional and Bilateral Trade and Chief Trade Negotiator of the AfCFTA, Mr. Stephen Mickson Opoku explained to the exporters the framework, components and benefits of the AfCFTA.
He said the AfCFTA will boost the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises in Africa by using regional markets as stepping stones for expanding into overseas markets outside the continent.
The agreement will, among others, increase intra African trade, promote regional value chains, increase rate of diversification and transformation of African economies, reduce venerability of external shocks, promote competition and boost employment opportunities.
Ghana, he said, stands to benefit substantially from the AfCFTA if supply capacity constraints are addressed and exports boosted. As the host of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Ghana is complying with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement in order to reap the maximum benefit from its implementation.
Mr. Opoku appealed to the Global Shea Alliance to bring out challenges of the shea industry to enable the Ministry of Trade and Industry and other stakeholders put in measures to address them.
