00:00Ghana and the European Union chose to sign their first formal defense partnership as a country, present itself as a
00:07regional bulk walk against the growing jihadist violence roiling West Africa.
00:12The agreement signed in Accra by EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Khalas and Ghanaian Vice President Jen Naana Opoku-Ageman
00:21is aimed at strengthening cooperation in areas including counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing and crisis response.
00:28It comes as coastal West Africa nations seek to prevent a spillover of violence from the neighboring Sahel where armed
00:36groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State groups have intensified attacks in recent years.
00:43The agreement built on a broader $54 million EU support package delivered since 2023 which has included advanced communication systems
00:52aimed at bolstering Ghana's border security.
