Zimbabwe and Ghana Reinforce Partnership and Light the Path for Stronger Intra-African Partnership
From 1 to 3 April 2026, Ghana’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa undertook a state visit to Ghana to strengthen cooperation. During the visit, the two countries signed several accords in various fields. This development represents a deepening of the General Cooperation Agreement, which was previously signed in June 2023. The Presidential visit was preceded by ministerial and technical-level meetings to pave the way for the bilateral summit.
President Mnangagwa was greeted at Kotoka International Airport by his counterpart, John Mahama, and received full military honors with a 21-gun salute. During the visit, both leaders paid their respect to Kwame Nkrumah at the Memorial Park and inspected the Accra Compost and Recycling Plant and the Sweden Ghana Medical Center.
Historically, Ghana supported Zimbabwe during its liberation struggle. In fact, Ghana sent educators to Zimbabwe who contributed greatly to raising the literacy rate from 10% to nearly 100%. Ghana was the first sub-Saharan African colony to gain independence from Britain in 1957, and its founding President, Kwame Nkrumah, was instrumental in establishing the Organization of African Unity, which is now the African Union.
To follow up on these Agreements and ensure effective execution, the two sides also established the Ghana-Zimbabwe Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation (#GZPJCC), which held its inaugural meeting in Accra. The Commission shall convene biannually, and the venue will rotate between the countries.
The cooperation MoUs involve:
- Heath
- Energy
- Tourism
- Sports
- Archives
- Museum of African Liberation
- Trade Promotion
- Waste Management
- Political & Diplomatic Consultations
- Foreign Service Institute
“Zimbabwe and Ghana share a deep, liberation-rooted history. During this visit, we are moving beyond shared history towards a share future of economic prosperity… This State Visit heralds the beginning of a new era in Zimbabwe–Ghana relations, anchored on economic cooperation, strategic partnership and the shared determination to improve the lives and livelihoods of our peoples.”
Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa
In response to the global economic turbulences, Ghana and Zimbabwe called for stronger intra-African ties and solidarity. Both countries firmly believe in promoting self-reliance, regional integration, and continental unity to weather external shocks and navigate geopolitical dynamics.
Both Ghana and Zimbabwe are endowed with rich mineral wealth. Therefore, mining would be a key area of cooperation. Both sides believe in local value addition, the adoption of modern technologies, and the fostering of sustainable mining practices.
Ghana hosts the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (#AfCFTA), while Zimbabwe occupies a central position within the Southern Africa Development Community (#SADC). Thus, it is natural for both sides to collaborate more closely on trade, investment, and sustainable development.