Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama and French President Emmanuel Macron have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening ties between their two nations during bilateral discussions held at the Élysée Palace on Thursday, October 30, 2025, on the sidelines of the Paris Peace Forum.
The meeting began on a reflective note as President Macron extended heartfelt condolences to President Mahama and the people of Ghana following the passing of former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings.
Discussions centered on key areas such as security cooperation, economic development, and regional stability. President Mahama requested France’s support in addressing the growing threat of piracy in Ghana’s territorial waters and the Gulf of Guinea, stressing the need for stronger maritime security collaboration.
Another major topic was the French concessionary loan earmarked for Ghana’s health sector, which is currently awaiting parliamentary approval. President Mahama appealed to his French counterpart to advocate on Ghana’s behalf at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to fast-track access to financing from the French Development Bank, citing Ghana’s improving debt-to-GDP ratio as a sign of fiscal discipline.
As the African Union’s Champion of African Financial Institutions, President Mahama also emphasized the importance of renegotiating loan terms to secure lower interest rates for infrastructure development across Africa. He highlighted Ghana’s role as host of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat and stressed the need for improved road and transport infrastructure to facilitate intra-African trade.
President Mahama further discussed Ghana’s One Million Coders Initiative, which has already enrolled 200,000 students, and called for French assistance in training more French language teachers to enhance bilingual education across Ghana.
President Macron, in turn, expressed optimism about expanding cooperation between the two nations. He noted several upcoming platforms where Ghana could showcase its innovation and policy leadership — including the VivaTech Summit in Nairobi (May 2026), the AU-EU Summit in Angola, and the G7 Summit in June 2026, where France intends to lobby for increased international support for Ghana.
During the meeting, President Mahama also raised the issue of reparations for slavery, a cause Ghana continues to champion globally. President Macron voiced support for the ongoing discussions, reiterating that France had already criminalized slavery, but encouraged a balanced conversation acknowledging the roles played by multiple parties throughout history.
Both leaders also exchanged views on the worsening security crisis in the Sahel, particularly terrorist activities in Mali and other Alliance of Sahel States (AES) countries. President Macron lauded Mahama’s leadership and Ghana’s reform efforts, pledging continued French assistance toward Ghana’s development agenda and regional peace initiatives.