Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Ghana’s Free Zones Authority (GFZA) have pledged to deepen trade and investment ties during high-level talks in Accra, capitalizing on a rapid expansion of bilateral commerce that saw exchanges between the regions more than double since 2021.
Cyril Darkwa, head of Dubai Chamber’s Ghana office, met GFZA CEO Dr. Mary Awusi on March 20 to outline plans for joint business development initiatives and knowledge-sharing programs. The discussions follow record trade figures: UAE-Ghana commerce skyrocketed from $2.5 billion in 2021 to $5.3 billion in 2022, with Dubai remaining a critical gateway for West African exports.
Recent data underscores the partnership’s strategic weight. The UAE accounted for 23.3% of Ghana’s total exports in late 2024, absorbing 40% of the country’s gold shipments—a key revenue source as Ghana battles economic headwinds. Dubai’s position as a global bullion hub has enabled this flow, with GFZA-registered companies contributing significantly to mineral trade.
“Our free zones offer Dubai investors streamlined access to West Africa’s 400 million consumers,” said Awusi, highlighting interest in adopting Dubai’s free zone operational models. Ghana currently hosts 89 free zone enterprises spanning manufacturing, agro-processing, and logistics.
Since opening its Accra office in 2015, Dubai Chamber has connected over 300 Ghanaian and Emirati firms through trade missions and matchmaking services. Darkwa noted the chamber’s recent support for Ghanaian cashew processors and pharmaceutical exporters entering Gulf markets. “Barriers dissolve when trust is built,” he said. “We’re now seeing Dubai-based conglomerates explore Ghanaian renewable energy and agritech ventures.”
The chamber’s 2025 agenda includes joint workshops on customs modernization and a Ghana-UAE industrial park feasibility study. Both parties aim to leverage Africa’s Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) headquarters in Accra to amplify intra-regional trade routes through Dubai.
While optimism prevails, challenges linger. Ghanaian exporters cite high air freight costs and complex UAE certification processes as persistent hurdles. The GFZA plans to address these through new warehouse facilities at Tema Port and standardized product testing protocols developed with Dubai authorities.
As AfCFTA implementation accelerates, Dubai’s role as a conduit for African-Asian trade appears set to grow. With Ghana seeking foreign exchange stability and the UAE diversifying food supply chains, their partnership increasingly reflects a broader reconfiguration of Global South economic alliances.
