President John Dramani Mahama has held bilateral talks with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema in Lusaka, describing the engagement as a step toward deepening Ghana-Zambia relations and strengthening practical cooperation across key sectors.
Speaking at the State House on Thursday, February 5, 2026, Mahama expressed gratitude for the reception accorded him since arriving in Zambia a day earlier.
President Mahama noted that Ghana and Zambia share historic ties dating back to the friendship between former leaders Kenneth Kaunda and Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
“President Kaunda and President Nkrumah were friends and comrades in the African liberation struggle,” he said, recalling Ghana’s role in supporting liberation movements across the continent.
Mahama said the discussions with President Hichilema focused on building closer cooperation, stressing that bilateral relations remain essential even as African countries pursue continental integration.
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“While we cooperate at the continental level, bilateral relations between countries can make a very big difference,” he stated.
He also said Ghana and Zambia are facing similar economic challenges, noting that both countries have undergone debt restructuring and are implementing reforms to achieve fiscal stability.
“Ghana and Zambia seem to be on the same trajectory,” he said, adding that the situation creates room for both countries to learn from each other.
President Mahama said the meeting covered shared challenges in mining, including issues involving artisanal and small-scale mining as well as large multinational operators.
“We discussed issues to do with the mining industry… because both of us have a mining industry that faces the same challenges,” he said.
He further noted that agriculture and trade were part of the talks, arguing that the African Continental Free Trade Area cannot succeed without strong bilateral relationships that support real exchange of goods and services.
“We cannot develop continental free trade in a vacuum unless we develop those bilateral relations that will identify what products we can exchange,” Mahama said.
President Mahama called for cooperation that goes beyond political dialogue and delivers concrete economic benefits for both countries.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
