Ghana, Serbia forge historic partnership on trade, labour, scholarships and tech

Ghana and Serbia have established a collaboration on trade, labour mobility, military, education, technology, and climate change, with both sides pledging to strengthen bilateral and international cooperation.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who disclosed this at a media briefing in Accra on Thursday, stated that Serbia, facing an aging population, is preparing to issue 100,000 work permits this year.

“We are excited about the opportunity this presents our country has a youthful population, and this could open a path for thousands to gain experience and contribute abroad,” he added.

He stated that Serbia has awarded 51 scholarships to Ghanaian students, with an additional 30 planned for this year. Ghana, in turn, has offered scholarships to Serbian students interested in African studies.

According to the Minister, Ghana aims to become the second African country, after Egypt, to sign a labour mobility agreement with Serbia. The two nations also discussed collaboration in the mining and technology industries.

“Ghana and Serbia have both discovered lithium reserves, and they intend to share technological experience,” he added.

The Minister called on Serbian investors and entrepreneurs to explore opportunities in Ghana.

“Ghana is open for business and we welcome Serbian partners to trade with us, invest in our economy, and build with us,” he added.

On his part, Serbia’s Foreign Minister His Excellency Marko Duric has described Ghana as a key regional partner where both countries reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation across economic development.

He said the visit marks a continuation of historic ties rooted in the era of Presidents Kwame Nkrumah and Josip Broz Tito, with a renewed focus on building future-oriented partnerships.

Mr. Duric expressed interest in Ghana’s proposed 24-hour economy model and confirmed plans to increase scholarship opportunities for Ghanaian students.

He said Serbia is presiding over the Global Partnership for artificial intelligence, and we want the people of Ghana and Africa to, together with us, shape the future of this critically important technology and take control of the future by governing collectively.

The three-day official visit is expected to yield several agreements that will deepen ties between the two nations across multiple sectors.

The Serbian delegation is also scheduled to meet with Ghana’s Parliament, and the Ministers of Food and Agriculture, Tourism, Sports, and Defense.