U.S. Ambassador to Ghana calls for continued dialogue over 10% tariff imposition

• Posted on April 7, 2025April 7, 2025
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The United States Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, has called for further dialogue with the government of Ghana following high-level talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the recent imposition of a 10 percent tariff on imports from Ghana and several other countries.

The new tariff policy, set to take effect this week, has sparked concern within Ghana’s private sector, with industry experts warning of its potential to negatively impact exports and government revenue.

This development comes on the back of an earlier U.S. decision to scale back aspects of its USAID support to Ghana — a move President John Dramani Mahama has described as a threat to critical funding inflows. In response, the President has directed the Finance Minister to take urgent steps to address the potential revenue shortfall.

Speaking to the media after she engaged with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday, April 7, Ambassador Palmer acknowledged the concerns raised but expressed optimism about the strength of U.S.-Ghana relations.

She reiterated the need for continued engagement to explore mutually beneficial solutions.

“I had a great meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs. We talked about how the relationship with Ghana is very strong and how we can keep it that way. We also discussed the details of these global tariffs and explored areas where the United States and Ghana can improve trade relations and maintain the lowest possible tariff regime,” Ambassador Palmer said.

When asked what the new tariffs could mean for the future of U.S.-Ghana relations, she responded: “Well, I hope Ghana will get some benefits vis-à-vis its competitors, but we’ll dig in and continue to talk.”