Ghana's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, James Gyakye Quayson, has said Accra would rather talk than confront the countries of the Sahel, restating the government's backing for dialogue and diplomatic engagement as a route to restoring constitutional, democratic rule in the region. According to 3News, he made the remarks while receiving the Foreign Policy Committee of the Danish Parliament at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Deputy Minister said Ghana keeps channels open with governments in the region, including by sending envoys on visits.
Why it matters
The statement places Ghana's approach to the Sahel alongside its wider foreign policy, which leans on negotiation and multilateral ties rather than isolation. Several Sahelian states have moved away from elected civilian government in recent years, and the question of how neighbouring West African countries should respond has divided the region. Quayson's remarks, as reported by 3News, signal that Ghana intends to stay engaged with those governments while pressing for a return to democratic rule.
The meeting also served a second purpose: deepening a bilateral relationship that Accra wants to convert into trade, investment and jobs.
Danish delegation raises peacekeeping and youth participation
The Danish lawmakers praised Ghana's record in international peacekeeping missions and asked how young people take part in the country's democratic processes. Quayson pointed to a Model United Nations session held for school pupils at the ministry on 27 October 2026, organised to mark the 81st anniversary of the United Nations. He said exercises of that kind give students first-hand exposure to how the UN works, to multilateral diplomacy, to international affairs and to political systems. He also spoke about Ghana's efforts to build national cohesion and reduce ethnic divisions.
On the economy, the Deputy Minister said Ghana is committed to bilateral partnerships that deliver gains for both sides in trade, investment, technology transfer and industrial development. The Danish delegation said it wants closer relations with Ghana and thanked Quayson for the reception and for what it described as productive discussions.
Historical ties and a new economic direction
Quayson welcomed the delegation and noted that links between Ghana and Denmark go back further than Ghana's independence. He named Christiansborg Castle as an important landmark in that shared history and said Ghana welcomes Denmark's interest in preserving the site.
He went on to describe a shift in how the government approaches economic relations, with trade, investment, industrialisation and job creation now at the centre. Quayson argued that Ghana must cut its reliance on imported finished goods by building up local production and manufacturing, both to employ a largely young population and to improve food security. He said Ghana is ready to work with friendly countries such as Denmark through partnerships that produce shared prosperity.
The Deputy Minister identified agriculture and technology as fields where Denmark has expertise, and pointed to Danish experience in renewable energy, especially wind and solar, as areas Ghana could draw on. He stressed that Ghana wants arrangements that bring technology transfer and add value to its raw materials.
Using cocoa as an example, he said grinding beans inside the country to make chocolate and other finished goods would generate jobs, reinforce domestic industry and remove the cost of shipping raw beans to Western countries for processing. He repeated Ghana's aim of widening its economy through manufacturing and industrial development, and cited the African Continental Free Trade Area, a market of roughly 1.4 billion people, as a major opening.
Karsten Hønge, who chairs the Danish Parliament's Foreign Policy Committee and led the delegation, thanked the Deputy Minister for the meeting. He raised the partnership between Ghana and the European Union, including its priority areas, and also discussed developments in the Sahel.
Quayson acknowledged Ghana's multilateral work with the EU, particularly on trade and investment, but urged both countries to strengthen their bilateral relationship given the current geopolitical climate.
The discussions point to a Ghanaian push to turn historical goodwill with Denmark into concrete deals in manufacturing, agriculture and renewable energy. Whether those intentions translate into agreements is the next thing to watch.
