Ghana and Germany are exploring stronger economic ties, with investment, railway development and labour mobility identified as areas with potential for increased bilateral cooperation.
The issues were discussed when Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa met Germany’s Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Johann Wadephul, on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The engagement comes as Ghana seeks to attract more foreign investment into productive sectors while mobilising technical and financial partnerships to support infrastructure development and job creation.
A major focus of the discussions was the opportunity for German companies to “expand their operations in Ghana”, with both sides examining areas where private-sector participation could support Ghana’s economic transformation.
Germany is already an important trading partner for Ghana. In 2025, German imports from Ghana stood at €290 million, while exports to Ghana reached €274 million. Ghana’s main exports to Germany include raw materials and food products, while German exports to Ghana are largely machinery, chemical products and foodstuffs.
The railway sector also featured prominently, with Ghana seeking German cooperation in railway infrastructure and engineering as the government advances efforts to revitalise and modernise the country’s rail network.
The discussions could create opportunities for German engineering, technology and infrastructure companies to participate in Ghana’s rail development, particularly as the country seeks strategic partners with the technical capacity to support expansion and rehabilitation of its transport infrastructure. Ghana has recently identified railway development as an area requiring financial and technical partnerships.
Labour mobility was another significant component of the engagement, with the two countries discussing “structured labour exchange programmes” that could establish legal pathways for skilled Ghanaian workers to access employment opportunities in Germany.
The proposal builds on ongoing Ghana-Germany discussions on a labour mobility framework. Ghana has previously indicated that such an arrangement could provide safer and more regulated employment opportunities for Ghanaian workers while responding to labour shortages in Germany.
A structured labour mobility arrangement could strengthen skills transfer and formal recruitment channels, especially in sectors facing shortages of skilled workers. Germany has expanded its use of skilled migration to address labour-market gaps, while Ghana has sought to link international employment opportunities with skills development and job creation.
