Ghana, Egypt deepen cooperation in defence, pharmaceuticals and infrastructure

President John Dramani Mahama and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi have agreed to deepen cooperation between Ghana and Egypt in defence, pharmaceuticals, trade and infrastructure.

The two leaders reached the understanding during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 8th African Union Mid-Year Coordination Summit, held alongside the maiden Alamein Africa Forum in Egypt.

The discussions focused on strengthening the longstanding relationship between the two countries while exploring new areas of cooperation to support economic development and regional security.

President Mahama and President El-Sisi also reflected on the historical ties between Ghana and Egypt, recalling the Pan-African vision shared by Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, and former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser.

They agreed that the historic relationship between the two countries should provide a foundation for addressing contemporary development challenges across Africa.

President Mahama expressed appreciation to Egypt for its support for Ghana’s resolution on reparations at the United Nations and urged President El-Sisi to maintain that support as discussions on the issue continue.

On trade, the two leaders discussed measures to strengthen political consultations and expand commercial activities between Ghana and Egypt.

Pharmaceuticals emerged as a key area of interest, with discussions focusing on facilitating the registration of Egyptian pharmaceutical products in Ghana to improve access to medicines and encourage investment in the sector.

Defence and regional security also featured prominently in the meeting. President Mahama expressed Ghana’s interest in expanding security cooperation with Egypt, particularly in intelligence sharing, capacity building and counter-terrorism.

He pointed to Egypt’s defence industry as a model from which Ghana could draw lessons as it seeks to strengthen its own security capabilities.

The discussions also covered support for the Sahel-Gulf of Guinea Accord and the development of social housing.

On infrastructure and urban development, President Mahama said Ghana was interested in learning from Egypt’s experience in executing large-scale projects, particularly the development of its New Administrative Capital.

According to the Presidency, Ghana hopes to draw on Egypt’s technical experience as it advances its own strategic plans for a new capital city.

The latest discussions come as both countries seek to broaden their longstanding relationship beyond political ties to include practical cooperation in trade, healthcare, security and infrastructure development.

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