Mahama, Japan’s PM advance ties on cocoa, infrastructure & partnerships at TICAD9
Ghana Seeks Japanese Investment to Revamp Cocoa Processing and Fund Volivo Bridge
President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation with Japan following a meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on the sidelines of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9).
In a social media update, Mahama highlighted three priority areas of engagement—cocoa value addition, strategic infrastructure, and people-to-people ties—describing them as pillars for deepening Ghana–Japan relations.
With Ghana providing around 70 per cent of Japan’s cocoa imports, the president extended an invitation to Japanese investors to partner with the Cocoa Processing Company through a public–private partnership aimed at revamping operations and boosting local processing. “This will create more jobs and ensure Ghana benefits from higher value addition,” Mahama said.
Infrastructure also featured prominently in the talks, with both leaders reviewing progress on the Volivo Bridge over the Volta Lake. Ghana expressed appreciation for Japan’s earlier commitment of JPY 11.239 billion (signed in 2016) but called for additional funding, particularly in grants, to close the remaining 64 per cent procurement gap and fast-track completion of the project. Mahama stressed the bridge’s importance for transporting yams, maize, and other agricultural produce from the north to southern markets.
The two sides also acknowledged historic milestones in their partnership, including the upcoming centenary of Dr. Hideyo Noguchi’s arrival in Ghana and the 50th anniversary of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) in 2027.
Beyond bilateral issues, the leaders discussed multilateral cooperation. Ghana expressed support for Japan’s candidate, Masahiko Metoki, for Director General of the UPU International Bureau, while also engaging on Japan’s positions regarding reform of the UN Security Council.
Mahama praised Japan’s continued friendship and commitment, expressing optimism about “concrete next steps that deliver jobs, value addition, and connectivity for Ghanaians.”
The meeting underscores Ghana’s broader push at TICAD9 to strengthen strategic ties with global partners while driving investment into critical sectors of the economy.
