By Iddi Yire, GNA Special Correspondent in London
London, June 3, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday paid a courtesy call on King Charles III at Buckingham Palace, capping a five-day high-level diplomatic and investment-focused visit to the United Kingdom.
The President and the British Monarch held a closed-door meeting at the Palace in London.
King Charles III is the constitutional Head of State of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
While executive authority is exercised by the elected Government led by the Prime Minister, the Monarch performs important ceremonial, diplomatic and unifying functions within Britain’s constitutional framework.
The audience with King Charles III marked the climax of a visit that combined diplomacy, trade promotion, investment attraction and engagement with the Ghanaian diaspora.
Prior to the Palace meeting, President Mahama held bilateral talks with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street, where discussions centred on strengthening Ghana-UK relations and expanding economic cooperation.
The President also met members of the Ghanaian community in the United Kingdom during a Town Hall engagement in London, where he outlined his administration’s priorities and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to engaging the diaspora in national development.
As part of efforts to deepen economic ties between Ghana and the UK, President Mahama opened the Ghana-UK Investment Summit and declared Ghana open for business.
The summit witnessed the signing of a landmark UK-Ghana Growth Partnership, a roadmap for cooperation between the two countries from 2026 to 2028.
The partnership is expected to deliver tangible benefits to Ghanaian businesses and citizens, with investment and commercial deals worth up to £215 million at the centre of the collaboration.
President Mahama also addressed policy experts and business leaders at Chatham House on the theme: “Navigating a Changing Global Order: Ghana’s Strategic Priorities.”
During the engagement, he outlined Ghana’s vision for a more equitable, inclusive and representative international system.
The President further visited two Ghanaian-owned businesses in Tottenham – Uncle John Bakery and Waakye Joint – as part of efforts to promote Ghanaian entrepreneurship and support businesses owned by Ghanaians abroad.
On the final day of the visit, President Mahama presided over the Market Open ceremony at the London Stock Exchange, officially signalling the start of trading by ringing the iconic opening bell.
He also delivered the keynote address at the 2026 Africa Debate at the historic Guildhall in the City of London, where he presented Ghana as an example of democratic resilience and economic transformation for the African continent.
Beyond diplomacy, the visit placed significant emphasis on attracting British investment, strengthening trade relations and promoting Ghana as a preferred destination for business and economic growth.
Members of the President’s delegation included Mrs Joyce Bawa Mogtari, Presidential Adviser and Special Aide to the President; Mr Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister of State in charge of Government Communications and Presidential Spokesman; Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, Minister of Finance; and Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Minister of Trade, Industry and Agribusiness.
The others were Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mr James Gyakye Quayson, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mr Stan Xoese Dogbe, Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations at the Presidency; and Mr Kwami Governs Agbodza, Minister of Roads and Highways.
President Mahama has since departed the United Kingdom for a state visit to Belarus.
GNA
Edited by Beatrice Asamani Savage