President John Dramani Mahama and French President Emmanuel Macron have held wide-ranging bilateral talks at the Élysée Palace, focusing on deepening cooperation across key sectors including health, agriculture, infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and regional security.
The meeting, held on Wednesday as part of President Mahama’s one-day official visit to Paris, began on a cordial note, with President Macron commending his Ghanaian counterpart for co-chairing the One Health Summit 2026 in Lyon.
He described the Accra Reset Initiative, championed by President Mahama, as “very important,” noting its prominence during the summit discussions.
In a significant development, President Macron announced that Ghana has been selected as the first beneficiary of France’s National Health Platform a major health compact aimed at strengthening healthcare systems. President Mahama welcomed the announcement, expressing appreciation for France’s continued partnership.
“I am honoured to have been invited to co-chair the summit,” President Mahama said, highlighting its importance to the World Health Organization.
He asked that the Accra Reset Initiative has already begun delivering tangible outcomes that can be further strengthened.
Discussions also covered collaboration in agriculture to boost food security and enable year-round farming, alongside support for maternal health and the development of artificial intelligence.
Infrastructure development featured prominently, with particular reference to the proposed Accra–Kumasi expressway.
The leaders further explored avenues to deepen cooperation through the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), building on longstanding French support for Ghana’s development agenda.
President Mahama also used the occasion to express gratitude to both France and China for their assistance in Ghana’s debt restructuring efforts. He noted that the Ghanaian economy is rebounding strongly, citing encouraging macroeconomic indicators.
Both leaders reaffirmed the strong bilateral ties between Ghana and France, anchored in shared values of democracy, adherence to a rules-based international order, and a joint commitment to peace and security.
Regional and global security concerns, including efforts to combat instability and terrorism, also featured prominently in the discussions.
Story: Patrick Asford Boadu
