The Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry (MoTAI) has reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with the African Start-ups and SMEs in Export Trade Secretariat (ASSETS) to strengthen the capacity of Ghanaian start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to access regional and international markets.
‎The assurance was given by the Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Sampson Ahi, on behalf of the Sector Minister, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, when he received a delegation from ASSETS during a courtesy call at the Ministry.
‎‎The delegation, led by ASSETS Team Lead, Mr Peter Adetor, visited the Ministry to introduce the organisation and its ongoing trade support initiatives for Ghanaian start-ups and SMEs, while exploring areas of collaboration to advance Ghana’s trade and industrialisation agenda.
‎ASSETS, a pan-African non-profit organisation headquartered in Accra, is committed to empowering African start-ups and SMEs to compete in global markets, with a strong emphasis on harnessing opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
‎‎During the meeting, both parties discussed a range of potential collaborative initiatives aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of Ghanaian businesses. These included capacity-building programmes, export readiness initiatives, trade missions and support for the effective implementation of the AfCFTA.
‎‎The discussions also focused on policy measures to strengthen SME participation in international trade, particularly in the areas of access to finance, regulatory compliance and improved market access.
‎‎Receiving the delegation on behalf of the Minister, Mr Sampson Ahi commended ASSETS for its commitment to supporting the growth of Ghanaian enterprises and promoting intra-African trade.
‎‎He reaffirmed the Ministry’s readiness to work closely with strategic partners to create sustainable opportunities for local businesses to expand into regional and global markets.
‎‎The proposed collaboration forms part of the Ministry’s broader efforts to promote export-led growth, strengthen Ghana’s private sector and position local businesses to take full advantage of opportunities under the AfCFTA framework.
