Ghana has called on members of the Commonwealth of Nations to remove tariffs and trade barriers among member states to strengthen economic cooperation and expand trade opportunities.
Speaking at the 26th Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting in London, Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, urged the bloc to position itself as a multilateral organisation that promotes open trade rather than protectionist policies.
The meeting was held under the theme “The Commonwealth at a Moment of Strategic Opportunity.”
Ablakwa commended the Commonwealth for outlining reforms aimed at strengthening cooperation among its member states, but stressed the need for concrete steps to promote trade.
“We must present the Commonwealth as a different multilateral organisation that does not believe in tariff wars,” he said.
According to him, the organisation has the opportunity to distinguish itself globally by encouraging economic diplomacy and facilitating smoother trade among member countries.
He therefore called for the removal of tariffs and other barriers that hinder the free flow of goods and services within the bloc.
“We should remove trade barriers and ensure that we enhance our fortunes as we pursue economic diplomacy,” Ablakwa added.
The minister also highlighted Ghana’s role in promoting continental trade integration, noting that the country hosts the secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area, an initiative designed to create the world’s largest free trade area by the number of participating countries.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
