Lee Jae-myung, the president, on the 11th held a summit with Ghana President John Dramani Mahama and proposed expanding exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.
Meeting Ghana President Mahama that afternoon at Cheong Wa Dae, the president said, "Korea and Ghana are old friends that will mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year," adding, "Ghana, a maritime nation bordering three West African countries, is a strong bridgehead linking the Republic of Korea's entry into the African market."
The president said, "Many of our corporations are actively operating in Ghana, focusing on manufacturing and agriculture and fisheries," adding, "Recently, we jointly created a very large rice cultivation complex and plan to produce Korean rice seeds starting next year."
He continued, "I hope that exchanges between the peoples of the two countries will increase further going forward so that the relationship between Korea and Ghana will become stronger in many ways," adding, "I expect that, on the occasion of your visit to Korea, practical cooperation outcomes that both peoples can feel will be created together."
President Mahama said, "Agriculture accounts for a very important share in relations between the two countries and is critical to enhancing food security," adding, "We intend to focus on further increasing rice production by using the improved rice seeds that Korea has provided."
President Mahama said, "Ghana, like other African countries, has very high potential in the critical minerals sector," adding, "Since Korea is a country that possesses technology, Ghana hopes to jointly conduct this critical mineral exploration with Korea and derive mutually enhanced outcomes in the value chain."
President Mahama also proposed that the two countries sign a joint framework to respond to pirate activities in the Gulf of Guinea. The leaders of the two countries also signed a "memorandum of understanding on maritime security cooperation."
They also signed a climate change cooperation agreement and a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in technology, digital and innovation development, agreeing to strengthen cooperation in areas such as establishing a foundation for international greenhouse gas reduction projects and technology education in AI and digital fields.