The Assistant Secretary of War for International Security Affairs at the U.S. Department of War, Daniel Zimmerman, has made his first visit to Ghana, joining a high-level U.S. delegation for engagements with Ghanaian defence officials on domestic, maritime, border and regional security.
Zimmerman was accompanied by the Deputy Commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), Lieutenant General John Brennan, during the two-day visit from August 6 to 8, 2026. The visit reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to strengthening bilateral defence and security cooperation, with particular focus on Ghana’s national security, maritime domain, border protection and emerging regional security threats.
During the visit, the U.S. delegation engaged Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Defence, Ernest Brogya Genfi, to exchange views on shared security priorities and explore avenues for deepening cooperation in response to evolving threats within Ghana and the wider West African region.
Zimmerman described his first visit to Ghana as a demonstration of the high-level interest of the United States in strengthening its security partnership with Ghana and supporting the Ghana Armed Forces in protecting the country’s sovereignty and addressing regional security challenges.
“This visit reflects high-level U.S. interest in partnering with the Ghana Armed Forces to strengthen our partner’s capacity to protect national sovereignty and address regional security challenges,” he said.
The visit coincided with Ghana’s commemoration of the first anniversary of the August 6, 2025 helicopter crash that claimed the lives of eight people, including the then Minister of Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah. The tragedy occurred in the Ashanti Region and prompted a national programme of memorial activities, including the unveiling of a cenotaph in honour of the eight deceased.
The U.S. delegation’s visit adds to a series of high-level American defence engagements with Ghana as both countries seek to reinforce cooperation amid growing security concerns across West Africa and the Sahel.
In February 2026, the Commander of U.S. Africa Command, General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, visited Ghana and held discussions with President John Dramani Mahama on shared security interests. His visit came amid heightened concern over deteriorating security in the Sahel and the spillover of militant violence towards coastal West African states.
The February engagement followed an attack in Titao, northern Burkina Faso, in which eight Ghanaian tomato traders were killed, according to Ghanaian authorities. The incident underscored concerns over the increasing reach of militant groups operating across the Sahel and the potential implications for Ghana’s northern borders and regional security.
The U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in Ghana, Rolf Olson, also highlighted the breadth of the existing defence partnership between the two countries, citing joint exercises, African land and maritime security summits, military training and equipment support as components of the cooperation.
He further pointed to the presence of U.S. military and strategic institutions in Ghana, including the Naval Medical Research Unit and the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, which have engaged with the Ghana Armed Forces on medical readiness and professional military education.
“These visits are part of our robust security cooperation with Ghana, which includes co-hosting African land and maritime forces summits, participating in joint training exercises, and strengthening partner capacity through medical and educational exchanges,” Olson said.
The latest engagement builds on the formal framework underpinning Ghana-U.S. defence cooperation. The two countries signed the Agreement on Defense Cooperation, the Status of United States Forces and Access to Agreed Facilities and Areas in Ghana on May 9, 2018, which entered into force on May 31, 2018. The agreement provides the legal framework governing the presence and activities of U.S. personnel in Ghana and facilitates aspects of bilateral defence cooperation.
Since then, Ghana and the United States have continued to expand cooperation in military training, joint exercises, maritime security, professional military education, medical readiness and institutional capacity-building, reflecting a broader partnership aimed at strengthening Ghana’s ability to respond to national and regional security challenges.
The engagement provided an opportunity for both sides to exchange perspectives on shared security priorities and identify practical areas for further cooperation, particularly as Ghana confronts evolving threats along its borders and the wider West African security environment.
The visit ultimately highlighted the longstanding defence partnership between Ghana and the United States and the shared interest in strengthening Ghana’s national security capabilities, protecting its territorial sovereignty and contributing to stability across the region.
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