Omanghana
President John Dramani Mahama has proposed expanding economic cooperation between Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America into what he described as the world’s largest trading bloc.
He outlined the vision during a bilateral meeting with Suriname’s President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. Mahama said Ghana would use its expected 2027 chairmanship of the African Union to advance closer ties between the African Union, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).
The proposal would build on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which is designed to deepen trade among African countries. Mahama suggested that the framework could be widened to include Caribbean and Latin American economies, creating stronger links across the Atlantic and giving countries of the Global South greater collective influence in international commerce.
He connected the proposal to the coalition that supported a Ghana-led United Nations resolution on reparatory justice. According to the President, countries across Africa, the Caribbean and South America face related challenges, including unequal trade systems, limited access to affordable finance and the continued export of raw materials without sufficient local processing.
Mahama said closer cooperation should focus on industrialization, technology transfer and value addition. Africa’s mineral resources and large consumer market, he argued, could support manufacturing and create jobs if countries develop shared standards, efficient transport links and stronger production networks.
The President also said Ghana and Suriname had signed a new cooperation agreement and expressed hope that bilateral ties would eventually include visa-free travel for ordinary citizens.
The proposed transatlantic trade vision remains a diplomatic and economic objective rather than an established agreement. Its progress would depend on negotiations among the AU, CARICOM, CELAC and individual member states, as well as the development of common trade rules and transport connections.
Source: Omanghana
