President John Dramani Mahama and his French counterpart, President Emmanuel Macron, have committed to deepening the longstanding ties of cooperation between Ghana and France.
The two leaders reached this understanding during extensive bilateral talks held at the Élysée Palace in Paris yesterday on the sidelines of the 2025 Paris Peace Forum.
The meeting, which covered critical areas of mutual interest, including regional security, economic development and digital transformation, began on a sombre note, with President Macron expressing his heartfelt condolences to President Mahama and the people of Ghana on the passing of former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings.
Maritime security
A significant outcome of the discussions was France’s commitment to support Ghana’s efforts in combating the growing threat of piracy in its territorial waters and the Gulf of Guinea.
President Mahama specifically sought French assistance to bolster the capacity of the Ghana Navy and other relevant agencies to protect the country's maritime integrity.
On the economic front, President Mahama advanced discussions on a concessionary loan from France for the health sector, which is currently awaiting parliamentary approval.
The President also urged his counterpart to use his influence to facilitate Ghana’s access to a financial facility from the French Development Agency, highlighting the country's significantly improved debt-to-GDP (gross domestic product) ratio as a basis for the support.
African interests
Leveraging his role as the African Union Champion of African Financial Institutions, President Mahama advocated collaborative efforts to renegotiate loan agreements for continental infrastructure projects at more favourable interest rates.
He further emphasised Ghana's pivotal position as the host of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) secretariat, stressing the urgent need for enhanced road infrastructure to unlock the full potential of intra-African trade.
Digital futures
President Mahama also showcased Ghana’s ambitious one-million-coders programme, revealing that over 200,000 students had already been registered.
He requested French support to bolster the training of French language teachers in Ghana, a move aimed at improving linguistic skills among the youth.
On the global stage, President Mahama raised the issue of reparations for the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, an initiative Ghana is actively championing.
President Macron pledged France's support for the discourse, while emphasising the complex historical dimensions of the issue.
Regional stability
The two leaders also conferred on the deteriorating security situation in the Sahel.
President Macron commended President Mahama’s leadership within the West African sub-region, and praised Ghana’s ongoing economic reforms, pledging France’s continued partnership with Ghana’s development agenda.
Looking ahead, President Macron pointed to several forthcoming international events, including the VivaTech Summit in Nairobi and the AU-EU Summit in Angola, as platforms for further collaboration, giving the assurance that France would continue to serve as an advocate for Ghana, including at the G7 summit in June 2026.
