Ghana’s Vice-President Calls for Fair Global Partnerships: “We Won’t Accept Deals That Silence Our Voice”

The Vice-President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has urged for genuine and equitable global partnerships where every country has an equal voice and fair opportunity to benefit.

Speaking at the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels yesterday, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said Ghana welcomes international cooperation but will not entertain unfair or exploitative arrangements.

“Is it a partnership where you have no voice? Is it a partnership where you don’t even decide how much you are selling your own goods for? These are the fundamental things we think deserve world dialogue,” she stated.

Global Gateway Forum

The Vice-President joined world and business leaders at the Global Gateway Forum, which serves as a platform for discussing strategies to boost global investments and partnerships. The forum, hosted by the European Commission, focuses on promoting sustainable infrastructure and development across Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Under the EU’s Global Gateway investment strategy, the European Commission and the World Bank Group are collaborating to implement 18 high-impact projects in energy, transport, and digital infrastructure—aimed at enhancing global connectivity and fostering inclusive growth.

Shifting Global Power Dynamics

During a panel discussion on the state of the world, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang encouraged African countries to take advantage of shifting global power dynamics to strengthen self-reliance and drive their own economic destinies.

“We need to move from being a battleground for others’ ambitions to becoming producers and processors of our own resources. When we enter the market on equal terms, that’s when real peace and progress will be achieved,” she emphasized.

Strengthening Partnerships

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, highlighted the importance of strengthening global partnerships built on trust, mutual respect, and shared goals. She revealed that the EU’s Global Gateway initiative has already mobilised over €306 billion in investments—surpassing its initial €300 billion target ahead of 2027.

She added that the partnership with the World Bank is being elevated to ensure better governance, alignment, and monitoring of joint projects across key sectors.

The President of the World Bank Group, Ajay Banga, also underscored the importance of job creation in sustaining these partnerships, noting that employment in emerging economies not only improves local livelihoods but also fuels global economic demand.

“By working together, we can unlock private capital and deliver impact at a scale neither of us could achieve alone,” Mr. Banga stated.