The Ambassador of Italy to Ghana, Laura Ranalli, has reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to strengthening defence and security cooperation with Ghana, as both countries explore new areas of collaboration to enhance Ghana’s defence capabilities and contribute to stability in the Gulf of Guinea and the wider region.
Ambassador Ranalli made the commitment when she paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Defence, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, in Accra, accompanied by Italy’s Defence Attaché to Ghana, Colonel Antonio Di Biaso.
The engagement focused on shared security priorities and opportunities to deepen bilateral cooperation in defence, with discussions touching on intelligence, technology, operational readiness, maritime security and capacity building.
The meeting comes against the backdrop of a longstanding defence relationship between Ghana and Italy. The two countries signed a bilateral defence cooperation agreement in 2019, providing a framework for closer collaboration between their defence institutions.
That cooperation has particularly expanded in maritime security, with the two countries working together to strengthen Ghana’s capacity to monitor and respond to threats in the Gulf of Guinea.
Ghana joined Italy’s Virtual Regional Maritime Traffic Centre in 2022, establishing an information-sharing link between Ghanaian and Italian maritime operations centres to enhance maritime situational awareness and cooperation.
Italian naval deployments under Operation Gabinia have also provided opportunities for practical cooperation with the Ghana Navy. During a 2025 deployment, the Italian Navy conducted training for Ghanaian personnel, including Visit, Board, Search and Seizure exercises designed to strengthen maritime security capabilities and counter piracy and illicit trafficking.
Italian and Ghanaian naval forces have also conducted joint exercises in the Gulf of Guinea, while Italy’s wider maritime presence in the region has focused on protecting sea lanes, countering piracy and strengthening cooperation with coastal states.
At the latest engagement, Defence Minister Kenneth Gilbert Adjei identified modern defence equipment, logistics support, technology transfer, drone technology for aerial surveillance and advanced military engineering as areas in which Ghana is seeking greater cooperation with Italy.
He also highlighted the importance of structured intelligence exchanges, operational readiness and learning from multinational responses to emerging security threats.
For her part, Ambassador Ranalli reaffirmed Italy’s readiness to broaden engagement in critical security areas, highlighting Italy’s interest in maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea and efforts to promote stability in the Sahel.
She said Italy remained committed to supporting regional security priorities through bilateral mechanisms, multilateral platforms and the broader European Union security framework.
The latest engagement follows separate discussions between Colonel Di Biaso and senior officers of the Ghana Armed Forces, including the Chief of Staff, the Chief of the Army Staff and the Ghana Navy, as both sides work to identify practical areas for closer military cooperation.
The Ghana Armed Forces has indicated that significant progress has been made towards arrangements for a formal defence cooperation agreement, while the Ghana Navy has identified joint exercises, personnel exchanges, capacity building, intelligence sharing, hydrographic surveying, oceanography, meteorology, information technology and cybersecurity as potential areas for deeper collaboration.
The emerging areas of cooperation suggest that Ghana-Italy defence relations are moving beyond traditional military engagement towards a broader partnership encompassing maritime domain awareness, technology, professional training and institutional capacity.
As security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea and the wider West African region become increasingly transnational, both countries are seeking to strengthen their ability to share information, build operational capabilities and protect maritime interests.
The continued engagement tprovides a platform for Ghana and Italy to consolidate their existing defence partnership while identifying new areas of cooperation that can contribute to Ghana’s defence modernisation and regional peace and stability.
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