Story by Bruce Chahwanda, Political Editor
PRESIDENT Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa has called on African nations to take control of their own narrative and development path, saying the continent must tell its story through its own lenses and perspectives.
“The importance of telling our own stories as Africans, through our own lenses and narratives, must continue to be emphasised,” he said while addressing an official engagement during his three-day State visit to Ghana.
The visit, hosted by President John Mahama, comes as the two countries seek to deepen long-standing ties rooted in their shared liberation history and Pan-African ideals.
President Mnangagwa said relations between Zimbabwe and Ghana date back to the struggle for self-determination, following Ghana’s independence in 1957, with the West African nation playing a pivotal role in supporting Zimbabwe’s liberation.
“Zimbabwe is forever indebted to Ghana, for being one of the first countries to provide military training to liberation war cadres, from 1964. The Great nation of Ghana also availed moral, political, diplomatic and material support to Liberation Movements in Zimbabwe,” he said.
He noted that the historic ties were further strengthened through post-independence cooperation, including the deployment of Ghanaian professionals to Zimbabwe in key sectors such as health, education and the judiciary.
Among those recognised were Judge Roger Korsah and diplomat Ebenezer Moses Debrah, who contributed to Zimbabwe’s legal and diplomatic institutions, as well as Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, who served as Chancellor of the Women’s University in Africa.
President Mnangagwa said both countries are now focused on expanding cooperation across strategic sectors, including trade, mining, agriculture, health, education and tourism.
He urged the two nations to fully utilise opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area to boost intra-African trade and strengthen value chains.
“Let us take advantage of the opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area, to further boost cooperation across all key sectors of our economy,” he said.
In the mining sector, he called for collaboration on sustainable extraction and value addition, while in agriculture he highlighted joint initiatives aimed at improving food security through resilient seed varieties.
The President also emphasised the importance of private sector partnerships and business-to-business engagement, in line with Zimbabwe’s “open for business” policy thrust.
On tourism, he said visa-free travel arrangements and joint initiatives such as the Trans-African Tourism and Unity Campaign provide opportunities to grow the sector, adding that Zimbabwe is ready to strengthen collaboration with Ghana in heritage preservation.
He revealed plans for a twinning arrangement between Victoria Falls and Cape Coast, as well as Ghana’s participation in the Museum of African Liberation Project in Harare, which is expected to be completed by 2027.
President Mnangagwa also expressed appreciation for Ghana’s support for Zimbabwe’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2027–2028 term, as well as its continued call for the removal of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
“Despite the albatross of these illegal and inhuman sanctions, Zimbabwe remains resilient, scoring unprecedented development and economic milestones across all sectors,” he said.
He commended Ghana’s leadership in advancing historical justice, particularly through a United Nations General Assembly resolution recognising the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans as a crime against humanity.
