Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa proposed expanding the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to Caribbean economies at the Commonwealth Business Forum in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, on Wednesday. The initiative, championed by President John Dramani Mahama, aimed to deepen trade and investment, create jobs, and address trade barriers by strengthening links between the AfCFTA and Caribbean economies, Ablakwa said.
Ablakwa said the relationship between Africa and the Caribbean must evolve beyond historical solidarity into practical economic cooperation that delivers tangible benefits. He described the two regions as “one people” whose shared history should underpin deeper economic ties, while acknowledging that the transatlantic slave trade disrupted that connection.
However, Ablakwa noted that intra-African trade accounts for less than 10 per cent of the continent’s total trade, underscoring the need to accelerate the agreement’s implementation and strengthen Africa’s trading capacity.
The proposal calls for a formal partnership between the African Union and the Caribbean Community, known as CARICOM. Ablakwa said stronger links between the AfCFTA and Caribbean economies could facilitate the movement of goods and people, create jobs, and address trade barriers, according to Modern Ghana.
The AfCFTA aims to create a single African market of about 1.4 billion people with a combined gross domestic product exceeding US$3 trillion.
President Mahama is advancing the proposal ahead of his expected assumption of the African Union chairmanship in January 2027, according to reports. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has begun examining the legal and institutional frameworks required to establish the AU-CARICOM partnership, officials said.
Ablakwa made the remarks at the Commonwealth Business Forum in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, on Wednesday, November 4. The forum brought together business and government leaders from Commonwealth member states to discuss trade and investment opportunities.
The proposal builds on Ghana’s recent efforts to reconnect with the African diaspora, including the Year of Return and PANAFEST, cultural initiatives designed to attract descendants of enslaved Africans back to the continent. Ablakwa also cited calls for reparatory justice as part of the broader effort to rebuild connections between Africa and the Caribbean.
The minister’s comments come as Ghana seeks to position itself as a gateway for trade between Africa and the Caribbean. The country already hosts the AfCFTA Secretariat in its capital, Accra, and has promoted itself as a hub for pan-African commerce.
Ablakwa’s proposal did not include a timeline for formal negotiations or details on which Caribbean nations would participate in the expanded trade framework. He said the initiative would require coordination between the AU and CARICOM to align trade rules, customs procedures, and investment protections.
The Commonwealth Business Forum, held alongside the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, provided a platform for the announcement. The meeting in Antigua and Barbuda marked the first time the biennial summit was hosted by a Caribbean nation in over a decade.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ review of legal and institutional frameworks is expected to inform next steps, according to officials. No further announcements have been scheduled.
Comments are closed.