The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has held a bilateral meeting with the Ambassador of Burkina Faso, who led the country’s delegation, on the sidelines of the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
The meeting was attended by the Chairman and Ranking Member of Ghana’s Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade and Tourism, along with officials from relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) from both countries.
Madam Ofosu-Adjare emphasised the longstanding and fraternal ties between Ghana and Burkina Faso, noting the pivotal role of bilateral trade in driving economic growth, creating jobs, and generating wealth for both nations.
She also highlighted current trade data and stressed the need for coordinated efforts to significantly boost trade volumes between the two countries.
The Minister invited the Burkinabè side to submit a list of their top ten imports, with a view to exploring opportunities for Ghanaian businesses to supply these products competitively.
She also commended Burkina Faso’s expertise in agricultural production, particularly in tomatoes and onions, and expressed Ghana’s interest in learning from their good agricultural practices.
She called for deeper collaboration in the agricultural sector to promote knowledge exchange and mutual growth.
Madam Ofosu-Adjare further noted that recent insecurity in parts of Burkina Faso has disrupted cross-border trading activities. She stressed the urgent need for joint measures to ensure the safety and security of Ghanaian traders operating in the region.
On the issue of Burkina Faso’s indefinite suspension of fresh tomato exports, the Minister observed that Ghana sources approximately 70–80% of its tomatoes from Burkina Faso, with an annual import value of roughly $400 million.
She acknowledged the significant challenges this policy poses to Ghana’s tomato supply chain and called for a mutually beneficial resolution that addresses the concerns of both countries.
In her closing remarks, the Honourable Minister announced that in the coming months, she will invite between 20 and 50 Burkinabè traders and business operators to Ghana to explore trade and business opportunities in relevant sectors and products.
In response, the Ambassador of Burkina Faso and leader of the delegation expressed appreciation to Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare for initiating the dialogue aimed at strengthening the longstanding relationship between the two neighbouring countries.
Regarding the tomato export suspension, the Burkinabè side explained that the policy seeks to ensure adequate raw material supply for the country’s newly established tomato processing factories.
This represents a strategic shift towards domestic value addition and industrialisation, moving away from the export of raw commodities.
Both delegations reaffirmed the strength and resilience of the bilateral relationship between Ghana and Burkina Faso.
They recognised the value of sustained and constructive dialogue in addressing emerging challenges and committed to deepening collaboration in key areas, including trade expansion, market access, trader security, and agricultural development.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com