In March, the European Union signed an unprecedented defence pact with the Republic of Ghana, marking a significant milestone in EU–Africa security relations. Officially called the Security and Defence Partnership, the document was signed in Accra, the West African country’s capital, by Ghana’s Vice President, Professor Jane Opoku-Agyeman, and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas. The agreement signals a deepening of strategic ties and reflects a growing recognition of Ghana’s role as a key security partner in West Africa.

Prior to this agreement, Ghana had maintained long-standing security partnerships with the European bloc on a range of issues, including peacekeeping, governance, and counterterrorism. As one of the most stable countries in Africa in the post-Cold War era, Ghana and the EU have consistently found common ground for cooperation. The country’s strong democratic credentials, commitment to regional stability, and well-established diplomatic reach are among the qualities that have attracted sustained European engagement over the years. These shared values have laid the foundation for a more structured and formalised partnership.