The Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry (MoTAI) and TradeMark Africa (TMA) have renewed their partnership with the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen trade facilitation, boost exports and support Ghana’s long-term economic growth.

The agreement is expected to accelerate Ghana’s implementation of key trade commitments under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) trade agenda.

The MoU was signed by the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, and the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of TradeMark Africa, Allen Sophia Asiimwe.

The renewed agreement builds on an earlier partnership established in January 2023 and provides a framework for continued collaboration on Ghana’s trade and economic development priorities.

Under the new arrangement, the two institutions will continue implementing the Ghana Country Programme Strategy, which focuses on improving trade facilitation, advancing regional integration, strengthening private sector competitiveness and expanding market access.

The partnership will support the modernisation of Ghana’s border management systems, strengthen digital trade infrastructure and improve logistics networks, particularly along the Abidjan–Lagos Corridor.

It also aims to reduce the time and cost of moving goods across borders while strengthening standards and quality systems to improve the competitiveness of Ghanaian exports, especially agricultural and manufactured products.

A key focus of the partnership will be expanding opportunities for women, young people and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to participate in regional and continental trade under the AfCFTA.

The initiative will also promote inclusive trade interventions, improve access to trade finance and help businesses meet emerging green trade requirements.

Speaking after the signing, Ofosu-Adjare highlighted the transformation at the Akanu–Noepe Joint Border Post as one of the partnership’s major achievements.

She said the deployment of digital customs systems, upgraded infrastructure and solar-powered facilities had enabled 24-hour border operations while reducing delays for traders.

The minister added that the collaboration had strengthened institutional capacity through the training of border officials and export-readiness support for SMEs.

According to the ministry, more than 1,250 women and small-scale cross-border traders have benefited from training on AfCFTA procedures, simplified