President John Dramani Mahama and French President Emmanuel Macron held high-level bilateral discussions at the Élysée Palace on Thursday, focusing on deepening Ghana-France cooperation in security, economic development, and regional stability. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 2025 Paris Peace Forum.
The talks began on a solemn note, with President Macron extending heartfelt condolences to the people of Ghana following the passing of former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings. President Mahama expressed gratitude for the gesture, describing it as a mark of enduring friendship between the two nations.
Central to the discussions was Ghana’s appeal for French assistance in combating piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. President Mahama underscored the growing threat to Ghana’s maritime borders and called for enhanced security collaboration to safeguard the country’s territorial waters.
The two leaders also deliberated on a French concessionary loan earmarked for Ghana’s health sector, which is currently awaiting parliamentary approval. President Mahama urged President Macron to leverage his influence with the International Monetary Fund to expedite Ghana’s access to the facility through the French Development Bank, citing Ghana’s improved debt-to-GDP ratio.
In his role as the African Union’s Champion of African Financial Institutions, President Mahama advocated for renegotiated infrastructure loans with lower interest rates. He emphasised the strategic importance of Ghana as host of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) secretariat and called for investment in road infrastructure to boost intra-African trade.
On the education front, President Mahama highlighted Ghana’s one-million-coders initiative, which has already enrolled 200,000 students. He appealed for French support in training French language teachers to strengthen bilingual education in Ghanaian schools.
President Macron welcomed the proposals and pointed to upcoming opportunities for collaboration, including the VivaTech Summit in Nairobi in May 2026, the AU-EU Summit in Angola, and the June 2026 G7 Summit, where France intends to advocate for increased support for Ghana.
The issue of reparations for slavery also featured prominently in the talks. President Mahama reiterated Ghana’s commitment to championing the cause, while President Macron pledged support, noting France’s criminalisation of slavery but urging a broader historical perspective that includes all actors involved.
The deteriorating security situation in the Sahel region was also discussed, with particular concern over terrorist activity in Mali and other Alliance of Sahel States (AES) countries. President Macron commended President Mahama’s leadership in the subregion and reaffirmed France’s commitment to supporting Ghana’s development agenda.
The meeting concluded with both leaders expressing optimism about the future of Ghana-France relations and the shared commitment to peace, prosperity, and regional integration.
President John Dramani Mahama and French President Emmanuel Macron held high-level bilateral discussions at the Élysée Palace on Thursday, focusing on deepening Ghana-France cooperation in security, economic development, and regional stability. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 2025 Paris Peace Forum.
The talks began on a solemn note, with President Macron extending heartfelt condolences to the people of Ghana following the passing of former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings. President Mahama expressed gratitude for the gesture, describing it as a mark of enduring friendship between the two nations.
Central to the discussions was Ghana’s appeal for French assistance in combating piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. President Mahama underscored the growing threat to Ghana’s maritime borders and called for enhanced security collaboration to safeguard the country’s territorial waters.
The two leaders also deliberated on a French concessionary loan earmarked for Ghana’s health sector, which is currently awaiting parliamentary approval. President Mahama urged President Macron to leverage his influence with the International Monetary Fund to expedite Ghana’s access to the facility through the French Development Bank, citing Ghana’s improved debt-to-GDP ratio.
In his role as the African Union’s Champion of African Financial Institutions, President Mahama advocated for renegotiated infrastructure loans with lower interest rates. He emphasised the strategic importance of Ghana as host of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) secretariat and called for investment in road infrastructure to boost intra-African trade.
On the education front, President Mahama highlighted Ghana’s one-million-coders initiative, which has already enrolled 200,000 students. He appealed for French support in training French language teachers to strengthen bilingual education in Ghanaian schools.
President Macron welcomed the proposals and pointed to upcoming opportunities for collaboration, including the VivaTech Summit in Nairobi in May 2026, the AU-EU Summit in Angola, and the June 2026 G7 Summit, where France intends to advocate for increased support for Ghana.
The issue of reparations for slavery also featured prominently in the talks. President Mahama reiterated Ghana’s commitment to championing the cause, while President Macron pledged support, noting France’s criminalisation of slavery but urging a broader historical perspective that includes all actors involved.
The deteriorating security situation in the Sahel region was also discussed, with particular concern over terrorist activity in Mali and other Alliance of Sahel States (AES) countries. President Macron commended President Mahama’s leadership in the subregion and reaffirmed France’s commitment to supporting Ghana’s development agenda.
The meeting concluded with both leaders expressing optimism about the future of Ghana-France relations and the shared commitment to peace, prosperity, and regional integration.
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