Ghana and Panama have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a framework for bilateral political consultations and deepen cooperation in key economic sectors.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York by Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Panama’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Javier Eduardo Martínez-Acha Vásquez.
Mr Ablakwa announced the agreement in a Facebook post on Monday, September 21, saying the MoU would provide a structured basis for cooperation between the two countries.
He said the areas identified for closer collaboration included maritime affairs, cocoa production, trade and technical assistance in the extractive sector.
The agreement could provide a platform for Ghana and Panama to strengthen commercial and technical exchanges in sectors of strategic importance to both economies.
Maritime cooperation is particularly significant given Panama’s position as a major global maritime and logistics hub, while Ghana continues to develop its ports and position itself as a gateway for trade in West Africa.
The two countries also intend to deepen engagement in cocoa production, an important component of Ghana’s agricultural and export economy, as well as trade and technical cooperation in the extractive sector.
Mr Ablakwa said the MoU formed part of Ghana’s broader diplomatic engagements on the margins of the UN General Assembly, where the country is pursuing both bilateral and multilateral partnerships.
He said Ghana and Panama also used the occasion to put behind them their football rivalry following Ghana’s Black Stars victory over Panama at the 2026 World Cup.
“On a lighter note, we took the opportunity to reconcile after our Black Stars defeated Panama at the just ended World Cup,” he said.
The latest agreement adds Panama to Ghana’s ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and expand economic and technical partnerships with countries outside its traditional trading partners.
Ghana’s delegation is currently participating in the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, with a series of bilateral engagements forming part of the country’s diplomatic activities.
