President John Dramani Mahama has called for Ghana and Jamaica to transform their shared historical ties into a robust economic partnership, urging greater trade, investment and private sector collaboration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Addressing a special joint sitting of the Jamaican Parliament on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, President Mahama said the relationship between Africa and the Caribbean should move beyond historical and cultural bonds to deliver tangible economic opportunities and jobs for their people.
He said the AfCFTA, headquartered in Accra, offered unprecedented opportunities to strengthen commercial relations between Africa and the Caribbean.
“The African Continental Free Trade Area, which has its headquarters in Accra, offers unprecedented opportunities for closer commercial relations between Africa and the Caribbean,” he said.
The President said the continental market of more than 1.4 billion people provided Jamaican businesses with a gateway into Africa, while Jamaica could serve as an important bridge for Africa’s engagement with the Caribbean and the Americas.
“Together, we should strengthen trade and investment, we should promote joint ventures between our business people, and encourage greater collaboration between our private sector,” he said
President Mahama called for expanded cooperation in agriculture, tourism, maritime transport, renewable energy, digital technology, education, healthcare and the creative industries, saying such partnerships would unlock shared prosperity.
He also advocated stronger links between universities, research institutions and young entrepreneurs to make innovation the cornerstone of relations between the two countries.
“We should encourage greater exchanges amongst our universities, between our research institutions, between our young entrepreneurs, ensuring that innovation becomes the cornerstone of our partnership,” he said.
The President noted that Ghana and Jamaica also shared strategic interests as coastal nations, including the development of the blue economy, protection of marine resources and enhancement of maritime security.
He said the two countries could promote the sustainable use of their oceans while creating new opportunities for economic growth and employment.
President Mahama stressed that the time had come for Ghana and Jamaica to convert their longstanding friendship into practical partnerships that would improve the lives of their citizens.
“The task before us is therefore very clear. It is to transform our historical bonds into practical partnerships that create jobs for our people, expand opportunities, and improve the lives of our citizens,” he said.
He added that history had connected Africa and the Caribbean, but the future demanded a relationship driven by innovation, investment and shared prosperity rather than sentiment alone.
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