LUSAKA – Zambia and Ghana have reinforced their historic ties, with President Hakainde Hichilema saying family connections and shared economic interests are at the heart of the relationship. Hichilema made the remarks during bilateral talks with Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama at State House on Thursday, February 5, 2026. President Mahama arrived in Lusaka on Wednesday and is scheduled to depart this afternoon.
“Ghanaians have a bond with Zambians dating back to the times of our leaders – Kwame Nkrumah and President Kaunda. We have a deeper relationship, including cross-country marriages,” Hichilema said. “Somewhat the Ghanaians and Zambians have found common interest and are creating or have created families over the years. Such family ties strengthen our bilateral relationship. But also the issue of Ghanaian and Zambian businesses working together over the years has strengthened our bond.”
The Zambian president noted that successive leaders have continued the path laid by founding fathers such as Kaunda, Nkrumah, and Julius Nyerere, contributing to the broader pan-African vision. “Today we pride ourselves of the African Union, but we must not forget where we are coming from – the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). The important thing for us now is drive the economic agenda,” he said.
Hichilema added that Zambia looks to learn from Ghana in areas such as large and small-scale mining. He also stressed the importance of continental resilience amid geopolitical changes. “We need to remain strong to ensure that as a continent, we can manage those challenges much better so that our economies continue to grow. We are desirous of deepening our cooperation and using that as a building block towards Africa Free Trade Area, and we are very happy that Ghana is hosting the secretariat for the Africa Free Trade Area,” he said.
President Mahama said the Zambia-Ghana relationship is rooted in history, recalling the friendship between Kaunda and Nkrumah during Africa’s liberation struggle. “Ghana virtually became the headquarters for all the freedom fighters, especially after our president declared that the independence of Ghana was meaningless, unless it was linked to the total liberation of the African continent,” Mahama said.
He noted that Ghana and Zambia are on similar economic paths, with both countries implementing reforms aimed at fiscal consolidation. “There is a lot that we can learn from each other. Both of us have a mining industry that faces the same challenges. We have similar issues with agricultural production and marketing of products,” Mahama said.
The Ghanaian president also commended Zambia for its hospitality toward Ghanaian residents. “They are thriving and they feel at home here,” he said, adding that stronger bilateral relations can support economic growth across the two countries and the region.
Discussion about this post