By: Franklin Asare-Donkoh
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced that the United States government has granted a three-year extension to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) programme.
The three-year extension brings clarity to the programme’s future, hence providing a fresh boost to Ghana’s trade prospects.
The extension, approved by an overwhelming majority in the US House of Representatives, preserves duty-free access for eligible Ghanaian exports and is expected to support local garment manufacturing, agro-processing and job creation, pending final endorsement by the US Senate.
This was disclosed by Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa in a Facebook post.
The development emerged from a high-level review of Ghana–US bilateral relations held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which assessed cooperation outcomes in 2025 and set priority areas for 2026.
The talks also acknowledged the removal of a 15 per cent US tariff on a wide range of Ghana’s unprocessed and semi-processed agricultural products, a move that is already improving market access for exporters and strengthening price competitiveness in the US market.
Ghana’s exemption from US visa sanctions and associated visa bond requirements was also reaffirmed, reducing travel and transaction costs for businesses and officials.
Alongside this, both sides noted improved security and law-enforcement cooperation, recent payments to US companies, and a strengthening business climate that supports deeper trade and investment flows. Preparations are also underway to negotiate a bespoke Ghana–US trade agreement in 2026, alongside new health cooperation initiatives, underscoring renewed momentum in bilateral economic relations.
