Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama has received a special message from Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, including an invitation to deliver the keynote address at a significant event scheduled for September 26, 2025.
The message was delivered Friday by Senegal’s Minister for Pan-African Integration and Foreign Affairs, Yassine Fall, during a diplomatic meeting at the presidency in Accra.
President Mahama praised the enduring relationship between Ghana and Senegal, highlighting both nations’ historical leadership in advancing Pan-African ideals and continental unity.
“Ghana and Senegal have been at the forefront of Pan-Africanism and anything that has to do with the African personality in the struggle,” Mahama stated during the meeting.
The Ghanaian leader used the occasion to advocate for African reparations, drawing parallels between historical injustices and contemporary calls for redress from former colonial powers.
“Currently, we are the champions of reparations, and we need to continue to tell the story of how Africa was raided by countries that called themselves developed,” he emphasized. “It is on the back of Africa that they rode to become what they are.”
Mahama made pointed comparisons between the Holocaust and the transatlantic slave trade, arguing that “if genocide in the Second World War deserves reparations, slavery was far worse. More people died in slavery than during the Second World War.”
Minister Fall extended condolences on behalf of President Faye to Ghana over the tragic August 6 helicopter crash that claimed eight lives, including senior government officials. She also commended Mahama’s leadership role across the African continent.
The diplomatic exchange reflects the strengthening ties between Ghana and Senegal under their respective current administrations, with both countries positioning themselves as advocates for African interests on the global stage.
The invitation for Mahama to deliver the keynote address demonstrates Senegal’s recognition of Ghana’s influence in continental affairs and suggests coordination on key Pan-African initiatives.
The meeting was attended by Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Presidential Advisor Joyce Bawah Mogtari, underscoring the diplomatic significance of the Senegalese delegation’s visit.
President Faye, who assumed office in 2024 as Senegal’s youngest president, has been building relationships with fellow African leaders while pursuing his agenda of sovereignty and Pan-African cooperation.
The September 26 event is expected to focus on themes of African unity, development partnerships, and the continent’s role in global affairs, aligning with both presidents’ commitments to Pan-African ideals.
Ghana and Senegal’s collaboration on reparations advocacy represents a growing continental movement seeking acknowledgment and compensation for historical injustices related to slavery and colonialism.
The diplomatic engagement comes as both countries navigate complex domestic and international challenges while maintaining their roles as influential voices in West African and continental politics.
For Ghana, the invitation reinforces Mahama’s standing as a respected African statesman, while for Senegal, it demonstrates Faye’s commitment to building strategic partnerships across the continent.
The focus on reparations during the meeting highlights a key priority for both administrations, as African nations increasingly coordinate efforts to address historical grievances through international legal and diplomatic channels.
