President John Dramani Mahama has highlighted the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) during a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung at the Blue House in Seoul.

During discussions on Wednesday, March 11, President Mahama noted that the AfCFTA Secretariat is located in Accra and emphasised the government’s ambition to position Ghana as a major production and export hub for the African market.

“Africa has passed the African Continental Free Trade Area, which is a historic agreement that opens a market of 1.4 billion people, and the secretariat of the AfCFTA is based in Accra, Ghana. We want to make Ghana the hub for production and export to the rest of Africa,” he said.

President Mahama arrived in Seoul on Wednesday to begin a five-day working visit to the Republic of Korea aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and exploring new opportunities for trade, investment, and technological cooperation.

The President touched down at the Air Force Base in Seoul at exactly 8:00 p.m. local time and was received by the Korean Ambassador to Ghana, Park Kyongsig; the Director-General of the Africa and Middle East Division at Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chung Kwangyong; and Ghana’s Ambassador to South Korea, Kojo Choi, along with officials from the Ghana Embassy in Seoul.

Following the meeting with President Lee, Mahama expressed pride in the long-standing relationship between Ghana and South Korea, highlighting shared values such as respect for democracy and human rights.

He also underscored the need to expand cooperation in agriculture and agribusiness, particularly through initiatives supported by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), which are aimed at boosting rice production and strengthening Ghana’s food security.

The President further emphasised opportunities for stronger economic collaboration through the AfCFTA framework, noting that Ghana’s hosting of the Secretariat positions the country as a strategic gateway for production and exports to the wider African market.

Mahama expressed optimism that Ghana’s natural and human resources, combined with South Korea’s technological innovation, will help deepen the partnership between the two countries and promote sustainable growth and shared prosperity.