President John Dramani Mahama has called for closer cooperation between Africa and Canada at a time when multilateralism is under threat and unilateral actions by powerful nations are reshaping global trade.
Speaking during a bilateral meeting with the Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, on Tuesday, on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, President Mahama praised Prime Minister Carney as a fresh voice in global advocacy.
"You are quite vocal on issues to do with the breakdown in multilateralism and the rise of unilateral actions by some nations.
And you have borne the brunt of some of the strongest tariffs.
"We came out lucky with just 13 per cent. I think you have faced more tariffs.
But I think you are a fresh new voice in terms of global advocacy," he said.
Reforms
President Mahama expressed concern about what he described as the injustice of the current global financial and climate system , and urged reforms in the global system.
"Africa has been talking about the great global system where Africa borrows more expensively.
Africa contributes the least to climate crisis, four per cent contribution to climate crisis, yet faces some of the worst crisis caused by climate events and have to borrow at a higher rate to be able to deal with the climate fallout.
"But I know that Canada has a favourable disposition towards the global south.
And with what is going on in the world, I think that this is a time for us to come closer together.
“There are those of us who believe in a rule-based system, in a multilateral system.
This is a time for us to work even closer together," he said.
The President further described Canada as Ghana's leading creditor in the past, underscoring investments through the Canadian International Development Agency, which was Canada's main development agency in rural parts in the north of the country.
He said Ghana was open for further engagement with Canada to deepen existing relations based on mutual respect and development.
Deepening relations
For his part, Prime Minister Carney said Ghana and Canada were working on a new framework to deepen cooperation.
"We are working towards a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on a broad range of areas, from energy, critical minerals, trade, development and other aspects," he said.
The PM commended President Mahama for championing the reset agenda both domestically and internationally, adding that the President’s leadership ambitions and ideas were ideal for the international system.
