Ghana and Zambia have agreed to establish an enhanced economic development cooperation partnership agreement that will go beyond the existing Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation.
President John Dramani Mahama made this known at a State Banquet held in his honor by President Hakainde Hichilema in Lusaka on Thursday.
President Mahama stated that he and his Zambian counterpart had agreed that notwithstanding continental alliances, they must forge stronger bilateral relationships between the two countries.
“We proposed to have an enhanced economic development cooperation partnership agreement that will be higher than just the permanent joint commission for cooperation. And so we have actioned that immediately,” President Mahama said.
He stated that they agreed to take immediate steps as soon as he returns to Ghana, assuring President Hichilema that he will act expeditiously on the issues they discussed.
President Mahama said it was striking how similar the trajectories of Ghana and Zambia are at this particular time.
He stated that the two countries seem to be “twins of the same mother,” going through the same economic and financial challenges and having the same structure of economy, with mining playing a very important part in their gross domestic products.
He revealed that he and President Hichilema got so engrossed in their bilateral talks that they went long beyond the scheduled time.
President Mahama said it was a very fruitful session where they shared best practices, with some things Zambia is doing very well that Ghana can learn from, and vice versa.
President Mahama shared a personal moment from the discussions, stating that he and President Hichilema briefly stepped away from the formal agenda and spoke about leadership, meeting the expectations of their people, and the responsibility to leave their countries better than they found them.
“It was an honest conversation between two African leaders who understand that leadership is not about power, but it’s about service,” he said.
He stated that the decision to allow visa-free travel between Ghana and Zambia is more than a diplomatic instrument.
President Mahama said it is a statement of trust that says to the people, “you belong with one another.”
He noted that the agreements signed between the two countries reflect their shared commitment to finding African solutions to African challenges.
President Mahama stated that the Ghanaian community in Zambia asked him to express their gratitude for the warm hospitality they enjoy.
He noted that many Zambians are married to Ghanaians, creating what he called “Zambian Ghanaians and Ghanaian Zambians.”
He thanked the people of Zambia for accepting Ghanaians and treating them like their own.