Bagbin Pitches Ghana as West Africa Gateway at Marrakesh Forum

Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has pitched Ghana as the gateway to West Africa, citing its stability, infrastructure and 24-hour economy drive as key levers for trade and investment.

Addressing the 4th Marrakesh Parliamentary Economic Forum in Morocco, Bagbin said deeper economic integration among nations remains the surest pathway to shared prosperity.

He urged countries to strengthen regional and inter-regional partnerships to unlock growth.

“Ghana remains committed to promoting economic diplomacy and policies that facilitate trade, investment and cooperation across borders,” the Speaker told delegates.

Bagbin positioned Ghana’s strategic location as a core advantage for businesses looking to access West African markets.

He highlighted four pillars backing that pitch: political stability, expanding transport infrastructure, modern port facilities, and an aggressive industrialisation agenda.

He added that Ghana’s transition to a 24-hour economy is expected to boost productivity, speed up trade facilitation, and improve the country’s global competitiveness.

While making the case for trade, Bagbin stressed that economic integration cannot work without human mobility.

“The movement of goods and services must be matched by the free movement of people,” he said, arguing that barriers to movement undermine the gains from trade agreements.

The Speaker commended Morocco, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, the Parliamentary Network of the World Bank and IMF, and other partners for advancing collaboration among Africa, Europe and the Gulf States.

He urged governments to uphold transparency, accountability and sound economic policies as the foundation for sustainable development and prosperity.

The Marrakesh Forum brought together parliamentarians and policy actors to explore new pathways for cross-regional economic cooperation.

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