Ghana, Gabon sign MoUs to boost trade, security cooperation
President John Dramani Mahama and President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema of Gabon have held bilateral talks in Accra, as the Gabonese leader began a three-day working visit to Ghana.
The two leaders also signed memoranda of understanding covering political consultations and diplomatic training, alongside broader cooperation in agriculture, education, climate change and security.
Speaking ahead of the signing ceremony at the Presidency yesterday, President Mahama said Ghana remained committed to advancing intra-African trade, industrialisation and economic integration.
He noted that Ghana looked forward to working closely with Gabon to ensure that businesses, investors and citizens of both countries fully benefited from the vast opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Area.
President Mahama said the meeting provided a valuable opportunity for both countries to identify concrete areas of cooperation that would translate their shared aspirations into tangible benefits for their people.
He stressed that trade and investment must remain central to the partnership and called for stronger collaboration between the private sectors of the two countries.
According to him, there was the need to facilitate investment flows and create an enabling environment for businesses to collaborate in key sectors such as manufacturing, agribusiness, transport and logistics, infrastructure development, financial services and value addition.
He explained that expanding commercial exchanges between Ghana and Gabon would stimulate growth, create decent jobs and enhance the competitiveness of their economies.
President Mahama further observed that, as maritime nations endowed with abundant natural resources, Ghana and Gabon could deepen cooperation in sustainable fisheries management, aquaculture development, fish processing, climate-smart agriculture, agricultural research and food security initiatives.
He said such collaboration would strengthen livelihoods, support rural and coastal communities, and promote responsible stewardship of their shared natural resources.
Touching on mining, the President indicated that both countries could, by sharing expertise and best practices, promote responsible mining, local content development, mineral beneficiation, environmental stewardship and transparent resource management.
On education and human capital development, he emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among universities, technical institutions and research centres, including through scholarship programmes, to promote exchanges, scientific research and technical and vocational training.
President Mahama also highlighted the importance of cooperation in climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, carbon markets, renewable energy and sustainable forest management, and called for increased climate financing for Africa.
He said it was the duty of both countries to build on their longstanding friendship and leave future generations a more dynamic, resilient and prosperous partnership founded on mutual trust, shared prosperity and African solidarity.
For his part, President Nguema reaffirmed Gabon’s readiness to build a permanent and constructive partnership with Ghana, particularly in promoting security within the Gulf of Guinea.
He said there was the need to intensify joint efforts to combat maritime piracy, illegal trafficking and other threats to maritime security, stressing that Africa must increasingly take responsibility for safeguarding its own peace and security.
President Nguema also commended President Mahama for the reforms being undertaken in Ghana and indicated that Gabon remained committed to a coordinated, inclusive and sustainable approach, grounded in dialogue, cooperation and the sharing of experience, to promote peace and stability across the region.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
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