Economist Dr. Priscilla Twumasi Baffour
Economist Dr. Priscilla Twumasi Baffour has emphasised the need to strengthen trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), urging African nations to decentralize trade and reduce over-reliance on foreign markets.
Her comments come in response to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s imposition of sweeping new tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners on Wednesday, April 2, 2025.
Trade between Ghana and the U.S. is now subject to a 10% tariff. China has been hit with a 34% import tax, while imports from the European market face a 20% tariff, moves that analysts say could dismantle much of the global economic architecture and potentially trigger wider trade conflicts.
In a post on her X (formerly Twitter) page on April 4, 2025, Dr. Twumasi Baffour wrote, “African countries today have diversified trade ties, with China being a major player. The U.S. tariff imposition is a call for increased intra-Africa trade as proposed by AfCFTA in an increasingly deglobalized world.”
Adding his voice to the conversation, economist Prof. Lord Mensah warned that countries with negative trade balances, those that import more from the U.S. than they export, will be hit the hardest by the new tariffs.
In a post on his X page, as cited by GhanaWeb Business, Prof. Mensah stated, “Trump’s 10% tariffs: Countries with negative trade balances with the U.S. will suffer the most. That is, countries with more imports and fewer exports to the U.S. will face significant economic setbacks.”
SSD/MA
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