The meeting underscored the importance of ongoing negotiations towards CEPA
The Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, held a strategic meeting with a four-member business delegation from the Dubai Chamber of Commerce as part of efforts to diversify international business engagements between Ghana and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The meeting underscored the importance of ongoing negotiations towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Ghana and the UAE, which is expected to significantly deepen bilateral trade and investment cooperation.
Leading the delegation, Sumaya Al Shamsi, Director of International Partnerships at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, explained that the Chamber annually selects two key destination countries for business outreach. These engagements involve sector-specific business delegations meeting potential partners in the selected countries. For 2026, Ghana and Ethiopia were selected, with Ghana serving as the first destination.
Al Shamsi disclosed that a 20-member business delegation, comprising medium- to large-scale companies across various sectors, is expected in Accra from May 18 to 19, 2026. The visit will feature plenary sessions, business-to-business (B2B) meetings with Ghanaian companies, and a proposed keynote address by the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare.
Receiving the delegation on behalf of the Minister, the Chief Director of the Ministry, Noah Tumfo, emphasised the need to diversify trade relations, promote value addition, and explore opportunities for establishing production hubs in Ghana to serve the UAE and the wider Asian market.
Tumfo highlighted Ghana’s strong investment appeal, citing preferential market access to the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the broader African market through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He further noted ongoing engagements that are expected to grant Ghana duty-free and quota-free access to the Chinese market, presenting additional opportunities for investors seeking expanded market reach.
He also outlined the Ministry’s ongoing business regulatory reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business in Ghana, with particular emphasis on cocoa value addition. He encouraged UAE investors to explore opportunities in cocoa processing and export from Ghana.
Also present at the meeting were senior officials from the Ministry and the Dubai Chamber, including the Director for Trade Development, Ebo Quaison, and Cyril Darkwa, Chief Representative for West Africa.
