President John Dramani Mahama has held high-level discussions with Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Minister, Jeenbek Kulubayev, on strengthening cooperation between Ghana, the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN), as both countries prepare for important roles within the multilateral system.
The meeting took place during Mr Kulubayev’s visit to Ghana, following the inaugural Ghana-Kyrgyzstan Political Consultations, which identified areas including mining, agriculture, education, healthcare, digital technology, tourism and sports for enhanced cooperation.
Discussions between President Mahama and the Kyrgyz Foreign Minister focused particularly on strategic cooperation at the multilateral level. President Mahama is due to assume the rotating chairmanship of the African Union next year, while Kyrgyzstan is set to serve as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2027–2028 term.
President Mahama shared his views on strengthening AU-UN cooperation to address conflicts, including through the effective implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2719, which provides a framework for financing AU-led peace support operations.
The talks also reviewed Ghana-Kyrgyzstan bilateral relations, including the recently signed visa waiver agreement, cooperation in the mining sector and efforts to increase investment between the two countries.
Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said the growing engagement marked an important evolution in relations that were established in 1992 but had remained relatively limited for several years.
“What matters really is the follow-ups, not just signing the agreements and having the political consultations, but seeing them through,” Mr Ablakwa said.
The Minister said Ghana’s diplomatic engagements must ultimately produce tangible benefits for citizens.
Mr Kulubayev, meanwhile, described Ghana as an important partner and said Kyrgyzstan wanted to build stronger economic and diplomatic links with the country as it expands its engagement with Africa.
“We hope to build with Ghana a strong and lasting partnership based on our shared values, mutual respect and common interests,” Mr Kulubayev said.
He also expressed Kyrgyzstan’s support for Ghana’s efforts to strengthen Africa’s role in the international system, including reforms to the UN Security Council.
The two sides have also identified practical areas for cooperation in agriculture, including livestock and agricultural mechanisation, education and healthcare, with scholarships for students from both countries among the areas discussed.
Kyrgyz President to attend Ghana’s 70th Independence celebrations
A key outcome of the engagement is confirmation that Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov will honour President Mahama’s invitation to attend Ghana’s 70th Independence Anniversary celebrations in 2027.
Foreign Minister Kulubayev also invited President Mahama to visit Kyrgyzstan in 2027.
The latest engagement builds on Foreign Minister Ablakwa’s March 2026 visit to Bishkek, where Ghana and Kyrgyzstan began exploring expanded cooperation in trade, mining and diplomatic relations.
The two countries have since moved toward a broader partnership spanning political cooperation, trade, investment, mining, agriculture, education, healthcare and technology.
