INTERNATIONAL NEWS – Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has held bilateral talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, with the two leaders agreeing to strengthen cooperation in defence, healthcare, trade, infrastructure and regional security.
By: Trokon S. Wrepue – trokon1992seokin@gmail.com
The meeting took place on October 4 on the sidelines of the Eighth African Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in New Alamein, Egypt.
The summit brought together African leaders and representatives of the African Union, Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms to advance continental integration and the implementation of Agenda 2063.
According to President Mahama, the discussions revisited the historic Pan-African relationship between Ghana and Egypt, particularly the political partnership associated with Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser.
Mahama said the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to building on that legacy while pursuing development priorities for their respective nations and the wider African continent.
A major issue raised during the meeting was Ghana’s campaign for reparations. Mahama expressed Ghana’s appreciation to President el-Sisi and the Egyptian government for supporting Ghana’s reparations resolution at the United Nations.
He also called for Egypt to maintain its support as discussions on reparative justice continue at the international level. Ghana has been leading efforts within the African Union to advance the continent’s reparations agenda, with Mahama serving as the AU Champion for Reparations.
The two leaders also agreed to pursue measures that could make it easier for Egyptian pharmaceutical products to enter the Ghanaian market. The proposed streamlining of pharmaceutical registration is intended to improve access to medicines while creating opportunities for investment and strengthening commercial ties between the two countries.
The discussions come as Mahama has been advocating greater African investment in domestic healthcare manufacturing and regional pharmaceutical value chains.
Security cooperation also featured prominently in the talks. Mahama said Ghana is interested in drawing on Egypt’s experience and defence capabilities to expand collaboration in intelligence sharing, capacity building and counter-terrorism. The two sides also reaffirmed their interest in continued support for the Sahel-Gulf of Guinea Accord, amid broader African efforts to address terrorism, transnational crime and instability affecting the region.
Infrastructure and housing formed another part of the discussions. Mahama said Ghana intends to benefit from Egypt’s technical experience as the West African country advances plans for a new capital city and expands social housing.
In particular, Ghana is looking to draw lessons from Egypt’s development of its New Administrative Capital as it considers the planning and implementation of its own major urban development project.
The Ghanaian and Egyptian presidents’ meeting comes as both countries seek to deepen bilateral economic and political relations. Egypt has pledged close cooperation with Ghana ahead of Ghana assuming the chairmanship of the African Union in 2027, while both governments have identified trade, investment and development cooperation as areas for further engagement.
The Eighth AU Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, hosted by President el-Sisi in New Alamein, focused broadly on strengthening coordination between the African Union and regional blocs and advancing continental integration.
The meeting was held at a time when African countries are confronting security threats, economic pressures and development challenges requiring greater regional cooperation.
For Ghana, the Mahama-el-Sisi meeting therefore placed bilateral cooperation within a wider Pan-African framework, combining historical ties with practical initiatives in healthcare, security, housing, infrastructure, trade and reparations.
