Ghana and Gabon have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their six-decade relationship, with President John Dramani Mahama calling for deeper African cooperation to address shared challenges and advance continental development.

The commitment was made during bilateral talks between President Mahama and President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema of Gabon at the Jubilee House on Tuesday, July 28, following the Gabonese leader’s arrival in Ghana for an official visit.

President Mahama said the visit reflected not only the personal relationship between the two leaders but also the shared determination of both governments to build a more purposeful partnership.

“I believe that your decision to undertake this visit to Ghana reflects our personal friendship as leaders of our two countries, but it also reflects the desire that our two governments have to consolidate the long-standing bonds of friendship between our two nations into a more purposeful, ambitious and mutually beneficial partnership,” President Mahama said.

Ghana and Gabon have maintained diplomatic relations for more than 60 years, with cooperation shaped by shared interests in Pan-Africanism, peace, security, democratic governance and sustainable development.

“Ghana and Gabon have enjoyed for more than six decades warm relations marked by mutual respect and solidarity,” President Mahama said.

“These relations have been sustained by our common attachment to the ideals of Pan-Africanism, by our shared commitment to peace, security, democratic governance and sustainable development.”

The President said both countries had worked together through multilateral institutions, including the African Union and the United Nations, in pursuit of a more united and prosperous Africa.

“Within the African Union, the United Nations and other multilateral fora, our two countries have worked together in pursuit of an Africa that is more united, more prosperous and more confident of itself and place in the world,” he said.

President Mahama said the discussions came at a time when Africa and the wider international community were facing complex challenges, including economic uncertainty, climate change, food insecurity, public health concerns and security threats.

“These realities make it imperative for African countries to work more closely together on the basis of African-led solutions,” he said.

He stressed that stronger cooperation between African countries was necessary to build resilience and accelerate development, adding that Ghana and Gabon were well positioned to strengthen ties between West and Central Africa.

“It is therefore heartening for me that Ghana and Gabon converge on many regional and international questions,” President Mahama said.

“As important nations situated in West and Central Africa respectively, our countries are well placed to strengthen cooperation between our two regions and to contribute meaningfully to the realisation of the African Union Agenda 2063, as well as to the successful implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.”

President Mahama also expressed appreciation to Gabon for its support to Ghana at the United Nations General Assembly, describing such cooperation as a reflection of the close ties between the two countries.

The talks also touched on strengthening institutional cooperation, with President Mahama calling for greater collaboration among public institutions through policy consultations, technical exchanges and capacity-building initiatives.

“We should also strengthen cooperation between our public institutions through regular policy consultations, technical exchange, capacity building initiatives and the sharing of best practices,” he said.

The President said such collaboration would help both countries improve institutional effectiveness and support the implementation of their national development priorities.

Beyond government cooperation, he said the relationship between Ghana and Gabon must deliver tangible benefits for citizens.

“Our duty today, therefore, is to build upon the legacy of the friendship between our two countries and bequeath to future generations an even more dynamic resilient and prosperous partnership founded on mutual trust, shared prosperity and African solidarity,” President Mahama said.