New U.S. tariffs could give Ghana trade advantage – Ambassador

By Solomon Nartey Tetteh

Outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, has indicated that Ghana could gain a competitive advantage in global trade under the United States’ new tariff regime.

Speaking to the media on Monday, May 26, Ambassador Palmer noted that although Ghanaian exports to the U.S. are now subject to a 10% tariff, the rate is far lower than those applied to exports from many other countries.

“There’s a global 10% tariff now being applied under the new U.S. administration, and in the short term, that could work to Ghana’s advantage compared to its competitors,” she explained.

She highlighted that nearly 60 other countries face significantly higher tariffs, positioning Ghana more favorably in international trade—at least for now.

“There are about 60 countries where the tariffs are significantly above 10%, which may provide Ghana with a short-term competitive advantage,” the Ambassador added.

Ambassador Palmer encouraged Ghana to take full advantage of the situation by proactively engaging with U.S. lawmakers before the policy expires in September 2025. “I hope Ghana will advocate its case to the U.S. legislature before the policy expires at the end of September 2025,” she added.