President Paul Kagame has this afternoon joined other leaders to officially congratulate the Ghanaian President-elect- John Dramani Mahama on his epic win in the recent presidential elections in Ghana that were announced on Saturday.
Mahama, also a former president, managed to win the elections with 56.6% against 41.6% beating Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, who also conceded the defeat saying this will “avoid further tension and preserve the peace in the country”.
Mahama will assume office next year succeeding Incumbent-President Nana Akufo-Addo who will be stepping down after reaching the official limit of two terms in office.
Mahama, 66, is making a comeback after serving as Ghana’s president from 2012 to 2016.
Mahama’s return victory comes with making history as he has already named Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang as the first female Vice-President in the country.
“Congratulations to my friend President-elect John Mahama on your election victory. Rwanda and Ghana share a strong commitment to progress and we look forward to working together to strengthen our bilateral ties and advance the vision of a prosperous Africa,” Kagame said on his X account.
https://x.com/PaulKagame/status/1866433354058576285
Rwanda and Ghana Relations:
John Dramani Mahama (middle)
Rwanda-Ghana cooperation dates back to several decades. In 1994, the Ghanaian contingent under the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) was among the few that stayed in Rwanda to contribute to protecting civilians who were being targeted by the Genocide against the Tutsi inspite of UN orders to evacuate. Since then, Rwanda and Ghana have enhanced their relations and cooperated on several fronts.
In 2020, Rwanda established a resident High Commission in Ghana. The chancery of the High Commission is situated in the cosmopolitan city of Accra. In 2021, the High Commission in Ghana was accredited as a non-resident representation for Rwanda in the Republics of Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Togo, to further strengthen existing good relations that Rwanda enjoys with these countries in the sub-region.
Both countries have greatly worked on bolstering economic cooperation to grow the intra-African trade in goods and services and Rwanda is already exporting goods to Ghana under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement regimw with its national carrier flying from Kigali to Accra weekly.
For instance, in September this year, Rwanda’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, in collaboration with Igire Continental Trading Co. Ltd, and Kungahara Wagura Amasoko, a USAID-funded project, have flagged-off a major shipment to Ghana under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement regime.
The exports include 400 kg of tea, 400 kg of coffee, 100 liters of avocado oil and 50 liters of honey that were supplied to Igire Continental Trading Co. Ltd.
Supplying companies included Rwanda Mountain Tea, Silverbak tea, Pedro’s coffee, Igire Coffee, Avocare Ltd and Uboukhoney.
At the heart of this economic cooperation is trade, business and investment promotion, tourism and education. This has seen the signing of several economic cooperation agreements.
Currently, Rwanda and Ghana have signed a General Cooperation (GCA) Agreement, a bilateral Air Service Agreement, an Agreement for the establishment of Joint Permanent Commission and Memoranda of Understanding in a range of sectors including in Defense and Security Cooperation, private sector collaboration, tourism arts and culture, financial sector cooperation, and on trade and economic cooperation.
These cooperation instruments continue to be sought in other sectors to facilitate public, private and civil society cooperation. In a reciprocal move to further strengthen relations, the Republic of Ghana in 2024 appointed its first resident High Commissioner to Rwanda, establishing a resident High Commission which will contribute to raising relations to a higher level.
Similarly, cooperation framework agreements continue to be established with other countries in the High Commission’s jurisdiction. In 2023 during the State Visit of President Kagame to the Republic of Benin, 10 instruments of cooperation were signed between the two countries.
They include a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement. General Agreements of Cooperation and Bilateral Air Service Agreements as well as Visa Waiver Agreements exist between Rwanda and most of the countries in our area of coverage.
Both countries believe in leveraging this growing cooperation to create opportunities for Rwandans and their sisters and brothers in Ghana to transform their lives and contribute to mutually beneficial socioeconomic transformation.
