Colombia Eyes Ghana as Gateway to West Africa, Proposes Direct Sea and Air Links
By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi
Colombia has announced plans to leverage Ghana’s ports, aviation infrastructure and growing economic influence as a strategic gateway into the West African market, in a move aimed at deepening trade, transport and business ties between Latin America and Africa.
The proposal was disclosed by Colombia’s Deputy Minister for Trade, Tito Yepes, during an official visit to Ghana by a high-level delegation led by the country’s Vice President. The initiative marks a significant step in Colombia’s broader strategy to strengthen South–South cooperation and diversify its global trade partnerships beyond traditional routes through Europe and North America.
According to Mr. Yepes, Ghana’s strong maritime infrastructure, political stability and central role within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) position the country as an ideal entry point for Colombian goods and services into a regional market of more than 400 million people.
At the centre of Colombia’s plan is Ghana’s port infrastructure. The South American country is proposing the establishment of a direct maritime route linking Cartagena and the wider Colombian Caribbean to Ghana, which officials say would significantly cut shipping times, reduce logistics costs and unlock new trade flows between Latin America, the Caribbean and West Africa.
“You have a strong port here, and then we can use that as part of our gateway to West Africa. The idea is to establish, for example, a maritime line between Cartagena and the Colombian Caribbean,” Mr. Yepes said.
In addition to sea transport, Colombia is also pushing for improved air connectivity between the two countries. Mr. Yepes questioned the logic of routing travel between Ghana and Colombia through Europe, a journey that can take close to 40 hours, and proposed a direct Bogotá–Accra flight that could reduce travel time to about 12 hours.
“Why not a flight flying directly from Bogotá to Accra, instead of actually going to Europe, where we are taking 40 hours to get here? Let’s spend 12 hours, which is a reasonable amount of time,” he said during a media interaction.
Beyond infrastructure, Colombia sees Ghana as a trusted economic and diplomatic partner whose stability and improving logistics network make it a natural hub for regional trade and investment. Officials believe the proposed transport links would strengthen business, tourism and cultural exchange while positioning Ghana more firmly as West Africa’s commercial crossroads.
Importantly, the Colombian government stressed that the opportunities from this partnership would extend beyond large multinational firms. Mr. Yepes noted that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on both sides stand to benefit, as reduced transport barriers would make cross-continental trade more accessible.
“The opportunities are very much a lot, and there will be businesses for everybody. Not only for large businesses but also for small businesses, as they can actually come and implement different opportunities,” he said.
Analysts say the initiative reflects a wider global shift, with countries in the Global South increasingly forging direct economic partnerships. If implemented, the proposed maritime and air links could boost Ghana’s trade profile while opening new growth frontiers for Colombian businesses seeking access to Africa.
