Ghana President Urges Stronger Relations with Jamaica

President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, is calling for a deeper relationship between Jamaica and Ghana, rooted in renewed purpose and greater ambition.

He notes that the friendship between the two countries has endured because it is founded not merely on diplomacy but on shared values of mutual respect and an abiding sense of kinship.

“We recognise in each other not only trusted partners but members of the same global African family. The task before us is, therefore, very clear. It is to transform our historical bonds into practical partnerships that create jobs for our people, expand opportunities, and improve the lives of our citizens,” President Mahama stated.

“The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which has its headquarters in [Ghana’s capital] Accra, offers unprecedented opportunities for closer commercial relations between Africa and the Caribbean. With a market of more than 1.4 billion people, it provides Jamaican businesses with a gateway to Africa, just as Jamaica can serve as an important bridge for Africa’s engagement with the Caribbean and the Americas,” he added.

The President was addressing a Special Joint Sitting of the Houses of Parliament at Gordon House on Tuesday (August 4).

He noted that, together, the two countries should strengthen trade and investment, promote joint ventures between businesspeople, and encourage greater collaboration between their private sectors.

“We should deepen cooperation in agriculture, tourism, maritime transport, renewable energy, digital technology, education, healthcare, and the creative industries. We should encourage greater exchanges amongst our universities, between our research institutions, between our young entrepreneurs, ensuring that innovation becomes the cornerstone of our partnership,” President Mahama said.

He noted that, as island and coastal nations, both countries share common interests in developing the blue economy, protecting marine resources, and strengthening maritime security.

“Together, we can promote the sustainable use of our oceans while creating new opportunities for economic growth and employment,” President Mahama stated.

He emphasised that climate change remains one of the defining challenges of this generation, adding that although Africa and the Caribbean have contributed the least to global greenhouse gas emissions, “our people continue to suffer a disproportionate share of the consequences”.

“Together, we must advocate climate justice, expand access to climate finance, and invest in resilient structures that protect our communities and secure our future. Let the Ghana-Jamaica partnership become a model for a renewed relationship between Africa and the Caribbean, one that is driven by innovation, by our shared prosperity, and our common determination to improve the lives of our people,” President Mahama said.