By Belinda Nketia
The Moroccan Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Imane Ouaadil, has called for a bold rethink of trade flows between African countries, urging Ghana and Morocco to reduce their dependence on distant markets and strengthen regional agricultural trade.
Speaking on the GTV Breakfast Show on August 4, 2025, the envoy questioned why Morocco continues to import bananas from Latin America while Ghana sources tomatoes and onions from Europe.
“It doesn’t make sense. We are closer,” she said. “Ghana has cocoa, pineapples, and mangoes. We can supply tomatoes, onions, and potatoes.”
She noted that agriculture remains a strategic priority for both countries, making it essential to build complementary supply chains within Africa. The ambassador pointed out that Morocco, which holds 75% of the world’s phosphate reserves, already plays a crucial role in supporting food security across the continent through its state-owned fertilizer company, OCP.
As part of this effort, Morocco is partnering with Ghana to develop a national soil fertility map, expanding on previous work around Kumasi by OCP Ghana. She also highlighted knowledge-sharing initiatives involving Ghanaian students and lecturers at Morocco’s Polytechnic University in Ben Guerir.
Beyond trade and training, she expressed interest in mutual learning, especially in irrigation practices, where Ghana’s water resource advantage could benefit both countries.
“We may not have oil and gas, but it doesn’t matter,” she remarked. “Other countries have those resources but haven’t maximized them. What we have is the will and the commitment. We are a reliable partner, and we want this relationship to grow to a strategic level.”
The interview follows a recent donation of 50,000 tonnes of fertilizer from Morocco to Ghana, aimed at boosting Ghana’s agricultural productivity and deepening bilateral cooperation in line with Africa’s broader food security goals. The ambassador said OCP is working closely with sister countries to enhance cooperation and help realise Africa’s vision of food self-sufficiency, of which the support to Ghana forms a part.
