President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the longstanding partnership between Ghana and France following bilateral talks at the Élysée Palace in Paris on Thursday.
The meeting, held on the sidelines of the 2025 Paris Peace Forum, focused on security cooperation, economic development, and regional stability, and marked a renewed effort by both countries to strengthen collaboration across key strategic areas.
A statement from the Office of the President in Accra said the discussions began on a solemn note, as President Macron extended condolences to President Mahama and the people of Ghana over the recent passing of former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings.
Both leaders praised the Paris Peace Initiative and the strong diplomatic and economic ties that continue to bind the two nations.
Tackling maritime insecurity and economic reform
President Mahama’s key appeal was for French support in combating piracy along Ghana’s territorial waters and the wider Gulf of Guinea.
He underscored the growing threat of maritime crime to trade and energy infrastructure, urging enhanced intelligence sharing, naval cooperation, and technical assistance.
The talks also covered Ghana’s request for a French concessionary loan to support the health sector, which is currently awaiting parliamentary approval.
President Mahama asked President Macron to leverage France’s influence with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to accelerate Ghana’s access to the facility under the French Development Bank, citing Ghana’s improved debt-to-GDP ratio and ongoing fiscal reforms.
As the African Union (AU) Champion of African Financial Institutions, President Mahama also called for broader cooperation to renegotiate Africa’s infrastructure loans at lower interest rates, stressing that fairer financing would help African economies achieve sustainable growth.
He further highlighted Ghana’s pivotal role as host of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, and urged French support for road and logistics infrastructure that would boost intra-African trade and investment.
Education and digital innovation
President Mahama outlined Ghana’s One Million Coders programme, which has already enrolled more than 200,000 young Ghanaians, and sought French partnership in expanding the initiative.
He also appealed for assistance in training more French language teachers to enhance bilingual education in Ghanaian schools.
In response, President Macron said France saw Ghana as a key partner in Africa’s digital transformation.
He pointed to upcoming global platforms — including the VivaTech Summit in Nairobi (May 2026), the AU–EU Summit in Angola, and the G7 Summit in June 2026 — as opportunities for Ghana to showcase its innovation and reform agenda.
Reparations and Sahel security
The two leaders also discussed the sensitive issue of reparations for slavery, with President Mahama reaffirming Ghana’s leadership on the matter.
President Macron expressed support for the initiative, noting France’s historical acknowledgement of slavery as a crime, while urging a nuanced conversation that considers the roles of all actors involved.
On regional security, both presidents reviewed the deteriorating situation in the Sahel, particularly the rising terrorist activity in Mali and other Alliance of Sahel States (AES) countries.
President Macron commended Ghana’s leadership under Mahama and pledged continued French support for Ghana’s development and peacekeeping efforts in West Africa.
Ghana’s commitment to media freedom
At the closing session of the 2025 Paris Peace Forum, which focused on Information Integrity and Independent Media, President Mahama reaffirmed Ghana’s unwavering commitment to press freedom and information transparency.
He said Ghana was proud to join the Partnership for Information and Democracy as a full member and would contribute to the International Fund for Public Interest Media. This global initiative supports credible journalism and combats disinformation.
President Mahama noted that Ghana had long been recognised as a continental leader in media freedom, citing its strong constitutional protections for journalists and civil society institutions.
“We must continue to support journalists and institutions that stand for integrity and accountability,” he said. “Governments must demand transparency and ethical responsibility from digital and AI platforms while working together internationally to protect information as a shared global asset.”
The President reiterated that Ghana’s democracy was strengthened by its vibrant media environment, adding that his administration remained committed to upholding the rule of law, transparency, and ethical governance in public life.
President Mahama’s engagements in Paris underscore Ghana’s growing diplomatic visibility on the global stage and the country’s central role in shaping Africa’s dialogue on democracy, security, and development.
