President John Dramani Mahama has addressed the Zambian National Assembly, emphasizing that the success of the African Union’s continental free trade agenda depends on the strength of practical bilateral relationships.
On the second day of his three-day state visit to Zambia, the Ghanaian leader argued that while continental frameworks are essential, they cannot function in a vacuum.
He stressed the need for individual nations to identify specific products for exchange and create the necessary local conditions to facilitate those trade flows, framing bilateral cooperation as the essential building block of the broader African Continental Free Trade Area.
The visit has been marked by high-level diplomatic engagements and symbolic tributes to the shared history of the two nations.
President Mahama was warmly received at the Zambian State House by President Hakainde Hichilema, where both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the path of unity established by their predecessors, Kwame Nkrumah and Kenneth Kaunda.
Earlier in the day, President Mahama laid a wreath at the tomb of Dr. Kaunda, Zambia’s founding father, as a mark of respect for the liberation struggles that initially brought the two countries together.
President Hichilema noted that both leaders are currently part of a collective effort to reform the African Union and the global financial architecture to better serve the continent’s interests.
Accompanied by First Lady Lordina Dramani Mahama and a delegation of senior government officials, the Ghanaian President used the legislative address to urge a return to the visionary call of Africa’s forebears for a united continent.
He highlighted that Ghana and Zambia share many contemporary economic experiences and challenges, suggesting that deep-seated cooperation is the most effective strategy for regional survival.
The two presidents confirmed that their administrations are actively working to move beyond political rhetoric toward a tangible partnership that prioritizes shared manufacturing, energy integration, and unified negotiation on the global stage.
Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
