Ghana and Sierra Leone have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties by reviving a joint cooperation agreement originally signed in 2018.

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This was the key outcome of a meeting between Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama, and Sierra Leone’s President, Dr. Julius Maada Bio, during Mahama’s one-day working visit to Freetown on Tuesday.

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Their discussions covered a range of strategic areas, including trade, education, investment, and institutional support. Emphasizing the need to deepen collaboration between the two nations, President Mahama noted that both leaders were aligned in their vision for progress.

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“We agreed to revitalise the joint cooperation agreement initially signed in 2018, with a proposal to hold the inaugural meeting here in Ghana soon! We shared our commitment to meeting the aspirations of our citizens and ensuring progress in key sectors,” Mahama stated.

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Beyond bilateral issues, the two leaders also tackled broader regional concerns, including terrorism, conflict, and drug trafficking. They reaffirmed their commitment to working together and with other West African nations to address these threats and mitigate their impact on the region.

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Additionally, Mahama and Bio discussed ways to enhance the West African Power Pool to improve power generation and distribution across the region.

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During his visit, President Mahama also engaged with members of the Ghanaian community in Sierra Leone, listening to their concerns, particularly regarding work permits and taxation. He assured them that these issues would be addressed to improve their living and working conditions.

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With plans in place to reignite the 2018 cooperation agreement, Ghana and Sierra Leone are set to build stronger ties and pursue mutual development in the years ahead.

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In 2017, Ghana and Sierra Leone agreed to ratify the agreement for cooperation between the two countries, so as to provide the legal framework for addressing their trade and investment concerns.

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Despite the good relations that existed between the two countries, there was no framework for cooperation to guide these relations. This development hampered the deepening of bilateral ties and cooperation amongst the two countries.

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To this end, then President Akufo-Addo assured that “I will pursue this matter with my Parliament to ensure the ratification of this Agreement”, an agreement that was signed between the two countries on 19th December, 2013, but which was yet to be ratified.

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