By: Ashiadey Dotse
President John Dramani Mahama has warned that the growing trend of countries imposing tariffs without prior consultation is damaging the global rules-based trading system that has guided international commerce for decades.
He made the statement on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, when Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, paid a courtesy call on him at the Jubilee House in Accra.
President Mahama said the world was beginning to drift away from multilateral cooperation, which had helped nations collectively address major global challenges for many years. He noted that after the Second World War, countries embraced multilateralism, leading to significant progress, including lifting millions out of poverty under the Millennium Development Goals and continuing under the Sustainable Development Goals.
However, he explained that recent unilateral actions such as sudden tariff increases, conflicts across the world, and disregard for collective decision-making were threatening peace, stability, and fair trade.
According to him, “countries waking up in the morning and just imposing tariffs on anybody else” undermines the trading system that nations have carefully built and depended on for decades.
President Mahama stressed that at a time when the global order is shifting, nations must form new partnerships based on cooperation and shared values. He said Ghana considers the United Kingdom one of its closest partners due to long-standing historical ties, shared democratic values, and similar governance traditions.
He praised the UK for its leadership on climate change and reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to working closely with the British government.
Welcoming the Duke of Edinburgh and his delegation, President Mahama also highlighted the importance of the Duke of Edinburgh International Award, which he said continues to inspire discipline, creativity, and ambition among young Ghanaians.
He expressed hope that the visit would strengthen the bond between Ghana and the UK and help both nations continue building partnerships that support global cooperation rather than division.
