President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana and French President Emmanuel Macron held extensive bilateral talks at the Élysée Palace on Thursday, 30 October 2025, focusing on security cooperation, economic development, and regional stability on the sidelines of the 2025 Paris Peace Forum.
The meeting began on a solemn note, with President Macron extending condolences to President Mahama and the people of Ghana over the passing of former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings.
Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepening Ghana–France relations under the Paris Peace Initiative.
A key highlight of the discussions was Ghana’s request for French assistance in combating piracy in its territorial waters.
President Mahama sought support to strengthen Ghana’s maritime security in the face of growing threats in the Gulf of Guinea.
The talks also covered a French concessionary loan for Ghana’s health sector, currently awaiting parliamentary approval.
President Mahama appealed to his French counterpart to use his influence with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to expedite Ghana’s access to the facility from the French Development Bank, citing the country’s improved debt-to-GDP ratio.
In his role as African Union (AU) Champion of African Financial Institutions, President Mahama advocated for enhanced collaboration to renegotiate loan agreements with lower interest rates for infrastructure projects.
He also underscored Ghana’s strategic position as host of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat and called for improved road infrastructure to facilitate intra-African trade.
President Mahama highlighted Ghana’s ambitious One Million Coders Programme, which has so far enrolled 200,000 students, and requested French support in training more French language teachers to strengthen language education in Ghanaian schools.
President Macron identified several upcoming opportunities for partnership, including the VivaTech Summit in Nairobi in May 2026, where Ghana could showcase its digital innovation capacity, the AU–EU Summit in Angola, and the G7 Summit in June 2026, where France intends to advocate for increased support for Ghana.
The two leaders also discussed reparations for slavery, an initiative Ghana is currently spearheading.
President Macron expressed support for the effort, noting that France has criminalised slavery, but urged that discussions on reparations reflect the historical roles of all actors beyond Western powers.
On regional security, both leaders expressed concern about the deteriorating situation in the Sahel, particularly terrorist incursions in Mali and other Alliance of Sahel States (AES) countries.
President Macron commended President Mahama’s leadership in promoting stability in West Africa and praised Ghana’s ongoing economic reforms, pledging continued French support for the country’s development agenda.
Source: Myxyzonline.com
