Mahama Holds Bilateral Talks with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung
Leaders Pledge to Strengthen Cooperation in Trade, Agriculture, Maritime Security, and Climate Action
- Mahama is the first African leader to meet President Lee since June 2025.
- Both countries aim to enhance trade, agriculture, maritime security, and climate cooperation.
- Ghana seeks to boost rice production and add value to cocoa and mineral resources.
President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday held bilateral talks with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Jae Myung, in Seoul, South Korea.
The two leaders agreed to deepen cooperation in trade, maritime security, climate change, and agriculture.
President Mahama arrived in South Korea on Tuesday, March 10, for a five-day working visit, becoming the first African leader to meet President Lee since he assumed office in June 2025.
During the talks, President Mahama praised the historic relationship between Ghana and South Korea, highlighting shared values that underpin their partnership. He emphasized that bilateral efforts had focused strongly on agriculture and agribusiness to advance food security.
“We share a deep respect for democracy and human rights. Our partnership is defined not by distance but by shared values,” he said.
President Mahama also stressed the significance of cooperation with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), particularly the K-Rice Belt Project, which aims to boost rice production in Ghana.
“We look forward to high-yielding rice varieties to expand production. Rice is now a staple in Ghana, and we want to reduce imports,” he noted.
The President highlighted Ghana’s role in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), headquartered in Accra, opening a market of approximately 1.4 billion people.
“Our goal is to position Ghana as a hub for production and exports across Africa,” he said.
President Mahama underlined the complementarity of Ghana and South Korea, citing Ghana’s natural and human resources alongside Korea’s technology and innovation, and emphasized value addition in key sectors.
He spoke on cocoa production, noting challenges due to climate change and price fluctuations, and outlined plans to process cocoa into products such as cocoa liquor and cocoa butter for export.
“We are also exploring resources such as bauxite, manganese, gold, lithium, and nickel. With Korea’s technology, we aim to add value before exporting,” he said.
Maritime security was another key topic, with both leaders expressing concern over piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. A memorandum to enhance maritime safety and cooperation was scheduled for signing.
President Mahama highlighted Ghana’s economic recovery following a recent financial crisis, noting improvements in inflation, currency stability, and debt management. He also expressed interest in accessing the Economic Development Cooperation Fund again and signing a visa waiver agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders to facilitate exchanges.
President Lee Jae Myung praised growing trade and investment ties with Ghana, describing the country as a strategic gateway to the African market. He also commended Ghana for its cooperation in protecting Korean nationals from piracy threats in the Gulf of Guinea.
“We look forward to further expanding our partnership across multiple sectors,” President Lee added.
