President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to advocate for the inclusion of Caribbean countries in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) when he assumes the chairmanship of the African Union (AU).

He said expanding the trade bloc to incorporate the Caribbean would strengthen economic ties between Africa and the Caribbean and create new opportunities for businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness in Kingston on Monday, August 3, during his state visit to Jamaica, President Mahama said increasing trade volumes between Africa and the Caribbean would require deliberate efforts, including improving infrastructure, logistics and expanding market access.

“With regards to trade, we don't kid ourselves that you snap your finger and suddenly our trade volumes will go up. We need to work at it. And that's why I said one way of working at it is one, to put in the infrastructure and the logistics. But the second is to expand the trade area,” he said.

He explained that the AfCFTA provides a framework for countries to harmonise standards, certify products and connect producers and buyers across participating markets.

President Mahama added that efforts by the AU to establish digital payment systems would further support intra-African trade by allowing countries to settle transactions in their local currencies instead of relying on foreign currencies.

“And that's why I said as chair of the AU, I'm going to push for the inclusion of the Caribbean into the African Continental Free Trade Area,” he stated.

He noted that the activation of the Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation between Ghana and Jamaica would provide a mechanism to track progress in trade, investment and other areas of collaboration between the two countries.

President Mahama said the partnership between Africa and the Caribbean represents an opportunity to deepen South-South cooperation and advance shared economic interests.