Mahama pushes exports to China with standards harmonisation
President John Dramani Mahama said Ghana is seeking deeper industrial collaboration with China, targeting value‑addition and a potential zero‑tariff trade framework.
Speaking exclusively to China Global Television Network (CGTN), Mahama explained that Ghana wants Chinese firms to partner with local businesses to process raw materials for re‑export to the Chinese market.
“We’re looking on the Ghanaian side for Chinese industries to come and help us add value to the products that we have so that we can export back into the Chinese market,” he said.
The president also stressed the need to harmonise product standards, noting that China operates with “about 40 standards” and that alignment would smooth trade flows.
“And so we need to harmonise our standards with the Chinese standards so that it makes it easier for us to export into the Chinese market. Those are the areas we are ironing out, and I think that we can reach an understanding,” Mahama added.
The interview coincides with Ghana and China marking sixty‑five years of diplomatic relations, a partnership that has made China Ghana’s largest trading partner and a key player in infrastructure, industrialisation, vocational training and trade volume growth.
During the CGTN “Leaders Talk” episode hosted by Wang Guan, the discussion also touched on Mahama’s recent meeting with President Xi Jinping and China’s proposed Global Governance Initiative, which Beijing says aims to boost development cooperation amid shifting geopolitics.
China’s long‑standing support for Africa’s development agenda – including roads, energy projects and skills training – was highlighted as a catalyst for Ghana’s next phase of economic transformation.
As Ghana pushes toward full industrialisation and greater export competitiveness, both governments are exploring ways to deepen cooperation, with zero‑tariff talks seen as a potential catalyst for accelerated trade growth.
Stakeholders anticipate that successful standard alignment and joint value‑addition ventures could open new market avenues for Ghanaian producers, while offering Chinese firms access to locally processed goods for re‑export.
Image Source: MYJOYONLINE
