Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has thrown his support behind Canada’s push for fairer global trade, praising Prime Minister Mark Carney’s stance against unilateral trade policies as both countries grapple with tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump’s administration.
- Both Ghana and Canada face steep US tariffs, with Canada hit especially hard in steel, aluminium, and vehicle sectors and Ghana losing preferences under AGOA.
- Ghanaian President Mahama praised Canada for standing up against US-imposed tariffs and defending fair global trade rules.
- Beyond trade, Mahama highlighted Canada’s backing for reforms to international lending institutions to ease borrowing for African countries affected by climate crises.
- The meeting also underscored plans to appoint a new Canadian envoy to Africa and calls for rebuilding and strengthening Ghana-Canada relations.
During a bilateral meeting at the Commonwealth summit in Antigua and Barbuda on November 3, 2026, Mahama commended Carney’s opposition to unilateral trade policies as Canada grappled with escalating trade tensions with Washington.
His remarks followed Carney’s January 2026 speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where the Canadian leader urged middle powers to work together against economic coercion and defend a rules-based international order.
“Canada has a favourable disposition towards the Global South,” Mahama said. “With what is going on in the world, I think that this is a time for us to come closer together.”
Ghana and Canada face mounting US tariff pressure
Canada has faced some of Washington’s steepest trade restrictions, particularly in industries that depend heavily on access to the American market.
The Trump administration has imposed tariffs of up to 50% on certain Canadian steel and aluminium products and 25% on affected vehicles.
Additional duties introduced in August 2026 intensified the dispute, although qualifying goods continue to benefit from exemptions under the North American trade agreement.
Ottawa responded with retaliatory tariffs on selected American imports, deepening tensions between two economies whose manufacturers and supply chains remain closely connected.
Ghana has also faced higher duties on exports to the United States, with Washington’s trade measures raising concerns about market access and the competitiveness of African products.
Acknowledging Canada’s exposure to the restrictions, Mahama praised Carney for defending international trade rules at a time when countries are increasingly turning to unilateral economic measures.
“You are quite vocal on issues to do with the breakdown in multilateralism and the rise of unilateral actions by some nations,” Mahama said, adding that Canada had borne “the brunt of some of the strongest tariffs.”
Mahama’s remarks follow his own criticism of Washington’s trade policies. In September 2025, he accused the Trump administration of undermining established trade arrangements after the United States imposed a 15% tariff on Ghanaian exports.
“Nobody wins tariff wars,” Mahama warned, describing the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which had provided eligible African products preferential access to the American market, as “technically dead.”
![Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama speaks during a UN General Assembly session where a resolution on transatlantic slavery and reparations was adopted. [@S_OkudzetoAblak]](https://ocdn.eu/pulscms/MDA_/4ae051d3d211b542ce72f909cbd3b080.jpg)
Mahama backs Canada’s push for global financial reforms
Mahama also praised Canada’s support for international lending reforms, criticising what he called a “rigged global system” that forces African countries to borrow at higher interest rates despite contributing just 4% to global emissions.
The West African country entered a severe debt crisis in 2022 before undertaking restructuring programmes supported by the International Monetary Fund.
Rising gold prices have aided its recovery, but declining cocoa production and climate-related challenges remain concerns, while Ghana struggles to secure the $22.6 billion needed to meet its climate goals amid declining donor funding and high borrowing costs.
Canada, alongside France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain, has advocated reforms to make development financing more affordable for countries facing such pressures.
Mahama welcomed Ottawa’s position and called for closer cooperation, citing Canada’s longstanding relationship with Ghana.
“Canada has had a very favourable … opinion in Ghana. I think that there are things we can do to build back up,” he said.
