On the sidelines of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference, the Minister of Trade, Industry, and Handicrafts, Kalil Konaté, is holding numerous discussions with his counterparts. On Wednesday, March 25, in Yaoundé, the head of the Ivorian delegation held a one-on-one meeting with his Ghanaian counterpart, Ms. Elisabeth Ojuzu, Minister of Trade of the Republic of Ghana.

During their meeting, the two ministers praised the close ties between Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. In cordial discussions, they addressed concerns related to bilateral trade cooperation, with particular emphasis on the smooth flow of goods across the border. The Ghanaian minister noted that some trucks can sometimes be held up for several days, or even weeks, due to bureaucratic hurdles.

Minister Kalil Konaté thanked his counterpart for the frankness of their discussions: “It is our responsibility to address these kinds of concerns head-on,” he stated.

The two officials agreed to conduct a joint field visit soon to observe firsthand the difficulties faced by traders. Minister Konaté emphasized that this approach was the best way to address and resolve the problem.

Before the traditional group photo, the two ministers reaffirmed their commitment to working together for the well-being of their people and to strengthen trade between these two sister nations. A Ghanaian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Côte d’Ivoire is also scheduled to be inaugurated very soon in Abidjan, a concrete symbol of this strengthened cooperation.