700 items get Ghana's rules of origin credential to trade under AfCFTA

“In our determined effort to take advantage of the AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative, the government facilitated exploratory market expedition missions to Kenya, involving 63 companies, and to Tanzania, involving 52 companies. As a result, a total of 700 products have received rules of origin certification to trade under AfCFTA,” Hammond stated.

He announced this at the launch of the 3rd edition of the Made in Ghana Food Bazaar, themed ‘Promoting Made-in-Ghana Goods and Services for Economic Prosperity’.

Highlighting the progress of the One District One Factory (1D1F) initiative, with 321 projects at various stages of implementation, the minister said of these, 169 factories are operational, employing 169,870 and contributing to import substitution and export diversification.

Over three-fifths of the companies under the 1D1F initiative are converting local raw materials into products in collaboration with domestic suppliers. This initiative is significantly boosting the range of Made in Ghana products in both domestic and export markets, he said.

He stressed the need to support domestic businesses and artisans, strengthening the local economy and preserving productive sectors for future generations, domestic media outlets reported.

Deputy minister for foreign affairs and regional integration Mavis Nkansah-Boadu said over 70 per cent of indigenous products are passing international quality assessments.

She encouraged the private sector, particularly small and medium enterprises, to take advantage of the AfCFTA and invest in standardisation, certification, technology and innovation to build a mark of integrity for Ghanaian products and ensure they meet international standards.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)