Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor, Director of the Presidential Initiative in Agriculture and Agribusiness at the Office of the President of Ghana, has emphasized the need for stronger sub-regional integration to unlock Africa’s agricultural potential.
Speaking at the EU-Africa Chamber of Commerce’s flagship event on Financing Agribusiness in Africa in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Dr. Otokunor highlighted the challenges posed by fragmented regulatory environments in inhibiting intra-African trade, particularly in the agricultural sector.
“Agriculture in Africa cannot thrive without a robust sub-regional integration framework,” Dr. Otokunor stated. “We often speak of Africa as a single bloc, but in reality, we are divided by borders, bureaucracy, and policies that stifle collaboration.”
Dr. Otokunor shared his personal experience of traveling by road from Ghana to Côte d’Ivoire, where he encountered lengthy delays at the border. “I spent over four hours at the border,” he revealed. “If a government official has to endure such hurdles, how do we expect our farmers and agribusinesses to trade efficiently across borders, especially with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) aiming to create a single market for goods and services across the continent?”
The event, attended by high-profile industry leaders, government officials, CEOs, and development partners, provided a platform for discussing the challenges and opportunities in African agribusiness. Dr. Otokunor emphasized the need for policymakers to rethink trade policies and create more enabling environments for agricultural trade.
“We must design instruments that facilitate the formation of cooperatives and cross-border partnerships,” he said. “Without that, we will keep discussing agriculture as potential, never as impact within our beloved continent.”
The event featured prominent attendees, including Mr. Inza Camara, Consul General of Côte d’Ivoire in New York; Dr. Fumilayo H. Makanjuola of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD); Mr. Joseph Nyemah, FAO Representative in Côte d’Ivoire; and Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), among others.
