The Director General of the Institute of Export (IOE) & International Trade, Marco Forgione has called for the establishment of structures and infrastructure to complement efforts aimed at enhancing free trade activities in Africa, especially Ghana.
According to him, these measures are vital towards achieving the needed goals to boost free trade activities on the continent.
Speaking in an interview with journalists in Accra during a visit to the country, the IOE Director General said Ghana has a unique opportunity to leverage on digitization as a key tool towards achieving trade and export-led goals.
“We are working to collaborate with partners in Ghana to turbo-boost Ghana’s opportunity potentials in cross border trade, intra-Africa trade and international trade because the current reorganisation in global supply chains driven primarily by the impact of COVID has now seen even more significant challenges.
“Geographically, politically and economically, this is Ghana’s opportunity because as these supply chains are morphing and changing, we need to look at anti-fragile supply chains and the West Coast of Africa is the key link where industries supply chains can develop because you are not constrained by external elements such as the Suez Canal, Panama etc,” he said.
Marco Forgione also noted that Ghana has a unique opportunity to tap into direct trade links to South America, East Coast of America into the United Kingdom, and then to Europe.
“Ghana is uniquely positioned not because of the geography of stable environment but the aspiration and entrepreneurship that exists in Ghana. So, the Institute of Exports is here to help turn what is potential into reality within the context of AfCFTA and Ghana can become the spark that ignites what the African continent can achieve,” he added.
Marco Forgione, however, said the institute plans to engage further with partners, businesses and government agencies towards achieving these trade goals through knowledge transfer, capacity building and training programs.
The Institute of Export and International Trade was established in 1935 to support UK businesses in growing their international markets and trade.
It is the leading association of exporters and importers that provides education and training to professionalise international traders.
