Ghana has signed a security and defence partnership with the European Union, deepening cooperation on counter-terrorism and regional stability as threats spread across West Africa and the Sahel.
Vice President of Ghana, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyeman, said the agreement establishes a formal framework for collaboration on crisis response, peace operations and capacity building, positioning Ghana as the first African country to join similar arrangements already signed by partners including Canada, Japan and Norway.
The deal was concluded during a state visit by Kaja Kallas, Vice President of the European Commission, underscoring what both sides described as a long-standing partnership anchored on shared security and development goals.
“This demonstrates the strengthening collaboration between Ghana and the European Union in tackling evolving security challenges, especially in our sub-region and across the Sahel,” Opoku-Agyeman said.
The vice president pointed to recent killings of Ghanaian traders in Burkina Faso as evidence of growing risks, highlighting the need for coordinated regional responses.
Under the partnership, the EU will expand support through its security and defence initiatives, including training, logistics and equipment for Ghana’s armed forces and civilian security agencies. More than 30 projects are already underway, covering areas such as border management, maritime security and cyber defence, according to the vice president.
Additional support includes training programmes conducted under the EU’s Gulf of Guinea initiative, as well as the provision of drones, motorcycles and other equipment aimed at improving operational readiness. Previous assistance under the European Peace Facility has included armored vehicles and communications systems to enhance mobility and intelligence gathering.
Opoku-Agyeman said the latest package of equipment and systems would “significantly strengthen” Ghana’s capacity to respond to emerging threats, while improving coordination among security agencies.
The partnership also targets underlying drivers of instability, including poverty, marginalisation and youth unemployment, aligning security cooperation with broader development objectives.
For the European Union, the agreement expands its security footprintt and signals a strategic effort for Ghana to reinforce its position as a stable anchor in West Africa while upgrading its defence capabilities.
