The UK-Ghana Standard Partnership Pilot, the first U.K. government-backed initiative, is expected to help trade between the two countries increase to £1.4 billion in value.
British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, while speaking on the sidelines of the launch of the UK-Ghana Standard Partnership Pilot, noted that the expected growth is hinged on meeting market standards.
“The launch of the UK-Ghana Standard Partnership Pilot is timely. With the roll-out of the AfCFTA and the implementation of the U.K. – Ghana Trade Partnership Agreement, quality standardisation will play a critical role in driving further trading opportunities between our two nations and beyond,” she stated.
Madam Harriet Thompson noted that, aside from supporting Ghana’s exporters to meet the standards of the UK market, the programme will help put Ghanaian businesses on the global stage.
The UK-Ghana Standard Partnership Pilot is being led by the British Standards Institution (BSI) to collaborate with and support the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA).
Ghana’s inability to meet international standards is one of the barriers that is currently stopping Ghanaian goods from coming to the UK.
Deputy Minister of Trade & Industry, Michael Okyere Baafi, is optimistic that the project will, among other benefits, strengthen the long-standing relationship between Ghana and the U.K.
Ghana earns foreign exchange every time it exports its goods to other foreign countries. It is projected that more foreign exchange earnings will be raked in by the government after it meets the necessary standards required for exporting to the UK.
U.K. is one of Ghana’s leading trading partners. The implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is expected to see Ghana trade with more countries.
According to Director-General of the Ghana Standards Authority, Professor Alex Dodoo, the UK-Ghana Standard Partnership Pilot will boost Ghana’s hopes of becoming a major business hub in Africa.
“The Standards Partnership Programme is one of the critical tools that will make our vision of Ghana Beyond Aid a reality,” he added.
Source: The Independent Ghana