President John Dramani Mahama has held a bilateral meeting with the President of Zimbabwe, H.E. Emmerson Mnangagwa, to “strengthen economic cooperation,” enhance regional integration, and align shared development priorities between the two nations. The discussions coincided with ongoing efforts to advance the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) across the continent.
President Mahama highlighted the urgency of “deepening intra-African collaboration,” noting that Ghana, as host of the AfCFTA Secretariat, is committed to promoting economic integration. He pointed to Ghana’s strategic position within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Zimbabwe’s role within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as a unique opportunity to strengthen linkages between West and Southern Africa.
Key sectors for collaboration identified during the meeting included mining and agriculture. The Ghanaian leader emphasised “responsible mining practices” and the need for value addition and beneficiation to ensure the continent retains greater value from its natural resources. In agriculture, he noted Zimbabwe’s experience could support Ghana’s efforts to build resilient systems, strengthen food security, and modernise the sector.
President Mnangagwa reaffirmed the “deep historical and fraternal ties” between the two countries, tracing the relationship to Ghana’s independence in 1957 and its support for liberation movements across Africa. He highlighted the importance of leveraging platforms such as the Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation (JPCC) to expand engagement in trade, energy, tourism, labour, and industrial development.
Both leaders agreed on the need to maximise AfCFTA opportunities to boost economic cooperation, promote business-to-business engagements, and facilitate knowledge sharing in areas such as sustainable mining, healthcare innovation, and local manufacturing of essential goods.
The meeting stressed a shared commitment to advancing African unity, economic transformation, and strengthened bilateral relations, positioning Ghana and Zimbabwe to play leading roles in regional development and continental integration.
