Ghanaian President Mahama: Anyone Fighting Terrorism Is Welcome in West Africa

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama made statements regarding counter-terrorism activities in the Sahel region at the Financial Times Africa Summit held in London. Mahama stated that anyone showing a commitment to fighting terrorism, including Russia, would be welcomed in the region.

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama stated on Wednesday that he is not concerned about Russian security assistance in the Sahel, saying, "My view on this is that anybody who is committed to the fight against terrorism is welcome." He noted that the delay in deploying the West African standby force to combat insecurity stems from the lack of a United Nations resolution to provide the necessary funding.

Mahama also shared Ghana's economic objectives. He noted that in order to increase the value-added processing of minerals such as lithium, manganese, bauxite, and gold, the export of raw materials will be banned by 2030, and it is targeted that at least 50 percent of cocoa beans will be processed locally.