The National Coordinator of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Dr. Fareed Kwesi Arthur has assured of Ghana working closely with Kenya to deepen regional integration and trade.

He asserted that both countries have the capabilities to work together towards a successful implementation of AfCFTA, thus building a strong regional economy.

Dr. Fareed Arthur made these comments when a delegation of business executives from Kenya paid a courtesy call on him at the Africa Trade House in Accra.

The delegation was in the country to meet a cross-section of the Ghanaian business community to discuss trading under AfCFTA.

Dr. Fareed said the government realising the importance of AfCFTA, established a national secretariat to coordinate and facilitate the activities of all related agencies. This leans towards achieving the objectives of AfCFTA and contributing to building a resilient economy for Ghana.

He said Ghana and Kenya were among the first countries to ratify the AfCFTA agreement hence the need to work together and provide the needed leadership to rope in other countries.

He announced that a one-stop shop has been established in Nairobi, Kenya, to promote Ghanaian products in the East African country, adding that the initiative would be replicated in other African countries.

“Government through the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) has opened a Ghana Trade House in Nairobi, Kenya where finished products of some Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana are on display. This is the first among others to be opened across Africa”, he said.

The Chief Executive Officer of Eminence Global of Kenya, Mikaela Mwangura, who led the Kenyan delegation indicated that they were prepared to learn from Ghana's intra-continental trade programme to model that of Kenya.

The Commercial Director of James Finlays, one of the leading tea producers in the world, Bedan Mwatha, said his company would leverage AfCFTA to enter the Ghanaian market as it has identified a healthy business environment in Ghana.

The Director of Finance of Reddamac Leather Company in Kenya, Kennedy Murangiri Nyaga proposed a partnership with Ghanaian leather producers to develop the sector on the continent under AfCFTA.

The Volta, Oti, and Eastern Regional Chair of Associations of Ghana Industries, Dela Gadzanku highly praised the NCO of AfCTA for the excellent work on enlightening SMEs on the operations of AfCFTA.

He indicated AGI's support for promoting AfCFTA to build businesses in Ghana and promote the growth of the African economy.