BAMAKO, Mali — Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama visited Mali on Saturday as part of a regional tour to bolster diplomatic and economic cooperation while addressing security challenges in West Africa.
Mahama met with the Malian leader, General Assimi Goïta, at the Presidential Palace, where their discussions centered on trade, security, and regional stability, according to a statement from the Ghanaian presidency.
He emphasized the historical ties between Ghana and Mali, recalling the foundational leadership of Ghana’s Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Mali’s Modibo Keïta.
A key point of discussion was the revival of the stalled Technical Joint Cooperation framework, first launched in 2011, to improve trade and resolve diplomatic challenges.
Mahama stressed the importance of strengthening transit trade to boost economic growth across the subregion.
Security remained a major concern, with Mahama advocating for deeper cooperation with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) to combat insurgency and terrorism.
He also urged continued dialogue between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Sahel nations—Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—despite their departure from the regional bloc.
Mahama later visited the statue of Kwame Nkrumah in central Bamako, a lasting symbol of Ghana-Mali solidarity and pan-African unity.
The president’s West Africa tour continues with stops in Niger and Burkina Faso, where he is expected to engage in further discussions on trade, security, and regional cooperation.
