Mahama Pushes Ghana–Czech Private Sector Ties

By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi

In a renewed push for stronger international economic partnerships, President John Dramani Mahama, has urged the private sectors of Ghana and the Czech Republic to deepen cooperation and explore new opportunities for investment and growth across critical areas of the Ghanaian economy.

President Mahama made the call during a bilateral meeting with the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, at the Jubilee House yesterday, April 8, 2025. The visit forms part of President Pavel’s official tour of selected African countries aimed at expanding Czech diplomatic and economic relations on the continent.

During the meeting, President Mahama emphasized the importance of private sector collaboration as a key driver of economic growth, job creation, and innovation. He noted that while Ghana and the Czech Republic have shared longstanding diplomatic ties, the time had come for both countries to leverage their relationship to build strong, productive, and sustainable economic partnerships.

“It is important that we move beyond traditional diplomacy and focus more on trade, investment, and industrial cooperation,” President Mahama said. “Our private sectors have a vital role to play in shaping the future of our two economies. We must create platforms that bring our business communities together and help them to collaborate in ways that will be mutually beneficial.”

Key sectors including agriculture, agro-processing, renewable energy, healthcare, education, manufacturing, construction, ICT, and infrastructure development are fertile grounds for collaboration. He stressed that with Ghana’s stable macroeconomic environment, growing youthful population, and ongoing economic transformation agenda, the country remains a highly attractive destination for foreign investment.

To foster direct business-to-business engagements between the two countries, President Mahama announced that a Ghana–Czech Republic Business Roundtable Meeting would take place today April 9, 2025. The forum will bring together key industry players, policymakers, trade experts, chambers of commerce, and investors from both nations to explore partnerships, exchange ideas, and initiate investment agreements.

The roundtable is expected to serve as a platform for identifying actionable opportunities and removing bottlenecks that may hinder cross-border trade and collaboration. It will also include sector-specific discussions, exhibitions of Ghanaian and Czech products and innovations, and networking sessions designed to connect entrepreneurs and executives from both countries.

President Mahama reaffirmed the Ghanaian government’s commitment to creating an enabling business environment for foreign investment, including legal and regulatory reforms, access to finance, infrastructure support, and the facilitation of trade through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), headquartered in Accra.

In response, President Petr Pavel expressed his appreciation for Ghana’s warm hospitality and acknowledged the country’s impressive democratic credentials, peace, and growing economy. He highlighted Ghana as a strategic partner for the Czech Republic in West Africa and affirmed his country’s readiness to strengthen ties through trade and innovation.

President Pavel said Czech companies are particularly interested in collaborating with Ghana in industrial machinery, health technology, engineering, construction, clean energy, and higher education. He also emphasized the Czech Republic’s interest in knowledge transfer and technical support, noting that such partnerships could significantly benefit both economies.

The visit, which marks the first official trip to Ghana by a Czech president in over two decades, is expected to open a new chapter in Ghana–Czech relations. It follows recent moves by the Ghanaian government to diversify its economic partnerships beyond traditional allies, embracing new and emerging economies across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

Both leaders concluded the meeting with a joint commitment to promoting sustainable development, strengthening people-to-people ties, and building bridges between the business communities of their respective countries. As Ghana intensifies efforts to attract foreign direct investment, the upcoming business roundtable represents a timely and strategic opportunity to unlock new areas of growth and cooperation. The outcomes of the meeting are expected to shape future bilateral agreements and pave the way for long-term partnerships that can boost industrialization, exports, and inclusive economic transformation.