Mahama: Africa’s future depends on stronger bilateral cooperation

President of Ghana, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, has underscored the importance of stronger bilateral cooperation among African countries, describing it as critical to the continent’s development, unity and long-term prosperity.

Speaking at the State House in Lusaka during bilateral talks with President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia, President Mahama said Africa’s future growth cannot rely solely on continental frameworks without deep, practical partnerships between individual states.

“While we cooperate at the continental level, bilateral relations between countries can make a very big difference,” President Mahama stated.

He reflected on Africa’s shared liberation history, recalling the close relationship between Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and Zambia’s founding leader, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, which he said laid the foundation for Pan-African solidarity.

“President Kaunda and President Nkrumah were friends and comrades in the African liberation struggle. Ghana became a hub for freedom fighters because our independence was considered meaningless unless it was linked to the total liberation of the African continent,” he said.

President Mahama noted that decades after independence, Africa continues to grapple with structural challenges rooted in colonial divisions, which have slowed economic progress across the continent.

“As Ghana prepares to celebrate 70 years of independence next year, we can all see that the divisions created by the Berlin Conference have made it difficult for Africa to develop at an optimal speed and create the prosperity our people need,” he observed.

According to President Mahama, closer bilateral cooperation offers African countries an opportunity to address shared challenges more effectively, especially in key economic sectors.

“Today, we can better appreciate the call for unity, because the challenges we face demand that we forge even closer links with one another,” he said.

He stressed that while the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a major step forward, its success depends on strong bilateral economic relationships that facilitate real trade and production.

“We cannot develop continental free trade in a vacuum unless we develop those bilateral relations that will identify what products we can exchange and create the conditions to make those exchanges possible,” President Mahama explained.

The Ghanaian leader pointed to mining, agriculture and trade as areas where Ghana and Zambia, in particular, can deepen cooperation and share best practices.

“Both of us have mining industries that face similar challenges, and there is a lot we can learn from each other. The same applies to agricultural production and the marketing of our products,” he said.

President Mahama also highlighted the importance of people-to-people ties, noting the strong presence and integration of Ghanaians living in Zambia.

“They feel comfortable and at home here, and many of them are now part of multinational families — Ghanaian and Zambian, but all African,” he said.

He expressed gratitude to the Zambian government and people for the warm hospitality extended to him and his delegation during the visit.

“From the welcome at the airport to the enthusiasm of the people, we have truly felt very welcome and at home,” President Mahama added.

President Mahama’s remarks reinforce his call for African nations to deepen bilateral partnerships as a practical pathway to strengthening continental unity, accelerating development and securing Africa’s future.