Ghana seeks Gambia’s support in hosting office of AfCFTA

Ghana has sought the support of the Gambia Government to host the secretariat of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area.

The new trade agreement that aims at improving trade among member countries comes into effect June 2019. The agreement was brokered by the African Union (AU).

According to the official facebook page of the State House, the delegation was led by Ghanaian Minister of Trade, Alan Kyerematen.

“The delegation is in Banjul to seek the support of the Gambia in the bid to hosting the secretariat of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area in Accra, Ghana,” said a post on the State House page.

“After a closed-door meeting, the delegation emerged upbeat that the Gambia will lend support to Ghana’s bid to host this continental agency.”

Ghana, a longstanding ally of Gambia, has had tough relations with the country in 2005 after 44 of their nationals were reportedly killed in the country by state agents.

Critics point at the involvement into the killings to country’s former dictator Yahya Jammeh who now lives in exile in Equatorial Guinea.

Recently, the movement to bring Jammeh to justice for this crime has gathered strength in Ghana.

However, it is not clear if the discussion between the Ghanaian delegates and Gambian President Adama Barrow touches on their killed nationals.