The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, held a bilateral meeting with the Ambassador of Burkina Faso during the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The discussions included senior Ghanaian parliamentary officials and representatives from relevant ministries and agencies from both countries.

Hon. Ofosu-Adjare emphasized the long-standing fraternal relations between Ghana and Burkina Faso and highlighted the importance of bilateral trade in boosting economic development, creating jobs, and generating wealth for both nations. She called for measures to increase trade volumes and invited Burkina Faso to share its top ten import needs to explore opportunities for Ghanaian businesses to supply these products.

The Minister also commended Burkina Faso’s expertise in agriculture, particularly in tomato and onion production, and expressed Ghana’s interest in adopting best practices. She proposed deeper collaboration in the agricultural sector to enhance knowledge exchange and mutual growth.

Addressing security concerns, Hon. Ofosu-Adjare noted that recent instability in parts of Burkina Faso has disrupted cross-border trade and stressed the need for joint measures to protect Ghanaian traders. She also raised the issue of Burkina Faso’s indefinite suspension of fresh tomato exports, which affects Ghana, given that about 70–80% of its tomato supply—valued at roughly $400 million annually—comes from Burkina Faso. She called for a mutually beneficial resolution.

Looking ahead, the Minister announced plans to host 20 to 50 Burkinabè traders in Ghana to explore trade opportunities across various sectors.

The Ambassador of Burkina Faso welcomed the dialogue, explaining that the tomato export suspension aims to support domestic tomato processing factories, reflecting a strategic shift toward value addition and industrialization.

Both delegations reaffirmed the strength of their bilateral ties and committed to continued high-level engagement to expand trade, ensure trader security, and promote agricultural development.