The state visit of Italian President Sergio Mattarella to Ghana, following the post-Easter period, has marked a significant step in deepening the longstanding relations between Italy and Ghana. This visit aimed to reinforce the ties of cooperation and friendship between the two nations, with a particular focus on exploring trade opportunities within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo emphasised the potential of the AfCFTA to link 54 markets, covering 1.3 billion people and a combined GDP of $3.5 trillion, by 2050. He highlighted the enormous investment and business opportunities for the Italian and European private sectors, including the infrastructure required to link these markets more effectively.
“The relations, between Ghana and Italy, have spanned several decades dating from colonial times, where small communities of Italians, came to settle in the then Gold Coast. It is the second time in the history of the 4th Republic that a President from Italy, in the person of then-President Giorgio Napolitano, is paying a State Visit to Ghana. Indeed, the first time was in 2007 under the Kufuor-led New Patriotic Party Government. With this second visit by another Italian President, it is safe to conclude that Italian Presidents love visiting Ghana when the NPP is in office.”
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
Recalling with fondness the last high-profile visit to Ghana by then Prime Minister, Sr. Giuseppe Conte in November 2019, President Akufo-Addo indicated that the visit led to the inauguration of the Okuafo Pa Project, which is being undertaken by ENI SpA together with the Government at Dormaa in the Bono Region.
President Akufo-Addo said, “President Matarella and I first had the opportunity of meeting in Rome in July 2023, when I paid an official visit to Italy, in which I had the privilege of meeting not only Italy’s dynamic Prime Minister, Signora Giorgia Meloni but also His Holiness Pope Francis.”
Discussions during the visit covered a wide range of sectors, including pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, ICT, financial services, water management, and environmental protection. The aim was to further strengthen collaboration with Italy in addressing contemporary challenges such as poverty eradication, human rights violations, violent extremism, human and drug trafficking, and climate change.
President Akufo-Addo also urged Italians to invest in Ghana’s burgeoning automobile industry, the “One-District, One-Factory” policy, the “Planting for Food and Jobs” programme, and the “One-Village-One-Dam projects.”
The visit led to the signing of a Defence Co-operation Agreement between Ghana and Italy, with both leaders committing to tackling emerging security threats, particularly terrorism, border security, and maritime piracy. They also expressed mutual support at bilateral and multilateral levels and a shared commitment to democratic governance and the rule of law.
President Mattarella reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to building on the strong bond of economic cooperation with Ghana, expressing delight at the intensified economic growth between the two countries and a desire to build a complex form of cooperation in various sectors.
President Mattarella’s visit to Ghana was a landmark event in the history of the 4th Republic, marking a significant step in deepening Italy-Ghana relations. The focus on the AfCFTA, investment in key sectors, and the signing of a Defence Co-operation Agreement highlight the mutual commitment of both countries to strengthen their ties and address shared challenges.
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