By Gifty Amofa, GNA
Accra, April 10, GNA – Africa must reposition itself within global supply chains to capture higher value, Mr Paul Frimpong, Executive Director of the Africa-China Centre for Policy and Advisory (ACCPA), has said.
He said although Africa’s participation in global production networks was increasing, it remained largely confined to low-value segments, despite emerging manufacturing hubs in Ethiopia, Kenya and Ghana.
Mr Frimpong said this at a high-level roundtable hosted by the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore on the theme: “Global Supply Chain Shift and Potential New Shipping Routes.”
“Africa is present in global supply chains-but not yet positioned to capture value at scale,” he said.
The roundtable brought together researchers, policy experts and industry stakeholders to assess the implications of geopolitical tensions, shifting trade patterns and China’s evolving role in global production systems.
Mr Frimpong outlined key priorities for policymakers, including targeted value chain development, alignment of foreign investment with domestic industrial capacity, and accelerated regional integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to promote cross-border production systems.
He said Africa’s participation remained concentrated in commodity exports, basic processing and assembly-level manufacturing, with limited involvement in higher-value activities such as design, technology and supply chain coordination.
“As China upgrades its domestic industrial base, segments of manufacturing are being relocated to regions across the Global South, including Africa,” Mr Frimpong said.
He cautioned that the relocation was selective, with high-value activities largely retained, raising concerns about the depth and sustainability of Africa’s integration into global value chains.
Mr Frimpong said Africa’s competitiveness in the evolving global supply chain landscape would depend on policy coordination, infrastructure development and strong institutional capacity, rather than cost advantages alone.
He said the Centre remained committed to contributing to policy dialogue aimed at positioning Africa as a strategic actor in the global economy.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey