President John Dramani Mahama has called for a new phase of cooperation between Ghana and Jamaica, urging both countries to focus on economic transformation as the next frontier of their shared Pan-African journey.
Speaking at the Special High-Level Reparations Dialogue at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, the President said the historic ties between the two nations should now be directed towards creating jobs, expanding investment opportunities and improving the livelihoods of their people.
According to President Mahama, the era of political liberation had laid the foundation for independence, but African and Caribbean countries must now work together to achieve economic emancipation.
“The battle that confronts us now is not the battle for liberation—we’re independent anyway—the battle that confronts us is how we can cooperate to increase our economic development and create prosperity for our people,” he said.
He noted that Ghana and Jamaica share deep historical and intellectual connections rooted in the Pan-African movement, particularly through the influence of Jamaican nationalist Marcus Garvey on Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
President Mahama said those historical bonds should be transformed into practical economic partnerships capable of driving sustainable development across Africa and the Caribbean.
He emphasised that visits and exchanges between the two countries were important opportunities to strengthen collaboration in areas that promote growth, resilience and shared prosperity.
Reflecting on the role of Pan-African thinkers in the struggle against colonialism, the President acknowledged that their ideas had inspired independence movements across the African continent.
However, he argued that the current challenge facing Ghana, Jamaica and other African countries was not political sovereignty but economic empowerment.
President Mahama urged greater cooperation among African and Caribbean nations to build stronger economies that can provide opportunities for future generations and improve living standards for their citizens.
