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Ukraine and Ghana Begin Negotiations on Defense Cooperation Agreement
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Ukraine and Ghana are working toward a bilateral defense agreement. Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said he hopes Presidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy and John Dramani Mahama will meet to finalize the cooperation as negotiations continue, Ukrinform reported on February 25.
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“This is one of the issues we discussed as part of our bilateral cooperation some time ago. We are considering the possibility of developing a comprehensive operational defense plan. Ghana and Ukraine do not have a defense plan. Therefore, we decided to start negotiations,” Ablakwa said.
The Minister noted that technical specialists from the foreign ministries of both nations have already held meetings to coordinate the parameters of the future agreement.
“We expect that either President Zelenskyy will come to Ghana on a state visit, or President Mahama will come here. We are confident that we will complete the current negotiations and will then be able to sign a defense cooperation agreement on this basis,” he added.
This visit by the head of Ghanaian diplomacy to Ukraine marks the first since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Ukraine views Ghana as a key partner within West Africa and across the African continent.
Ghana has consistently advocated for respect for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The country supports Kyiv following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, particularly during votes in the UN General Assembly. Ghana seeks to acquire Ukrainian equipment for control and monitoring to strengthen security on its border with the Sahel region.
Ukraine remains open to this cooperation and is prepared to assist partners in strengthening their border protection against terrorist threats from Islamist jihadist groups. The upcoming defense agreement may facilitate the export of drones and the supply of heavy weaponry.
Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and his Ghanaian counterpart Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa met in Kyiv to discuss the recruitment of African citizens by Moscow. Sybiha confirmed that more than 1,780 individuals from 36 African countries had been lured into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine through deceptive schemes.
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