Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is Ghana’s former Vice President
Former Vice President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has predicted a paradigm shift in Africa’s trade dynamics as global tensions continue to escalate.
According to him, the recent spike in US tariffs will accelerate Africa’s move toward self-reliance and stronger regional integration.
Addressing delegates at the International Democrat Union (IDU) forum in Brussels, Dr Bawumia stated, “The U.S. has increased its average tariff rate from about 2.4% to 10%, the largest increase since 1943. The impact of this will not be insignificant,” he said, emphasising the ripple effects such protectionist policies could have on vulnerable African markets.
While Africa’s overall trade with the U.S. remains relatively small, accounting for just 6.5% of exports and 4.4% of imports, Dr Bawumia highlighted countries like Lesotho that rely heavily on U.S. markets.
He specifically cited the country’s textile industry, which sends nearly half of its exports to the United States under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), as being particularly at risk.
“What you’re going to see in Africa, as you’re seeing across the world, is more clamour for self-reliance. And you’re going to see more political space being created for intra-African trade as a way of dealing with this,” he added.
Dr Bawumia’s remarks add to growing calls for Africa to accelerate the implementation of frameworks like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a buffer against shifting global trade policies.
Watch as Dr Mahamudu Bawumia impresses International Democratic Union (IDU) forum with his perspective on restoring stability in global trade uncertainty.#ghanaweb#ghanawebtv pic.twitter.com/3GhGf0O3SS
— GhanaWeb (@TheGhanaWeb) May 17, 2025
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