The month of September 2025 started on a high for me with a tea meeting with Her Excellency Norma Ang, the Mexican Ambassador to Ghana, on Monday 1st September 2025 at the Embassy of Mexico in Ghana, located in the heart of Accra, the nation’s capital.
Ghana and Mexico have a long-standing cordial relationship dating to 1961 with a shared goal of increasing political dialogue, boosting economic ties, promoting bilateral cooperation, and collaborating on international matters. The relationship was revitalized in 2014 when Mexico reopened its diplomatic mission in Accra, leading to increased collaboration and discussions on reopening Ghana’s embassy in Mexico City.
Our very instructive conversation focused on the thriving bilateral relations between Ghana and Mexico, and activities to mark the 65th anniversary of healthy relations between the two countries. We also delved into the area of trade and investment, people-to-people engagement as well as Mexico’s framework to address discrimination and violence against women and children.
Career Journey
Her Excellency was born in Mexico City, in that immense urban mosaic where more than twenty million people coexist. Since childhood, she dreamt of serving her country abroad in addition to being drawn to the qualities required of a diplomat; dedication, commitment, and resilience.
She joined the Mexican Foreign Service after completing her degree in International Relations over three decades ago. Within the period, she has served in the Netherlands, Poland, Ukraine, the United States, Spain, and now Ghana, concurrent with Liberia, Sierra Leone and Gambia, which represents a completely new and deeply meaningful chapter.
Current State of Bilateral Relations
Mexico and Ghana established diplomatic relations 64 years ago with the establishment of embassies in Accra and Mexico City. Although these embassies closed in the 1970s and 1980´s, Mexico reopened its mission in Accra in 2014, marking a new beginning which has led to the current optimal moment.
Since her arrival, Her Excellency has received great receptiveness from the Ghanaian authorities, which perceive Mexico as a reliable partner, with geopolitical weight and an attractive market to do business.
For Mexico, Africa represents both the present and the future of the global order. In this sense, strengthening ties with Ghana is essential: it is also a reliable country and an interesting gateway to the African continent.
At the same time, both countries share the values of the Global South: peace, solidarity, and cooperation. She is convinced that both nations are ready to take a qualitative leap forward in their relationship.
In 2019, a formal dialogue through the Political Consultations Mechanism was launched, undoubtedly, one of the initiatives the Government of Mexico wishes to consolidate, and Her Excellency is keenly focusing on. This mechanism provides a pathway to continue building a relationship of strategic value.
Decision of Mexican Mission in Ghana
Her priority has been to consolidate the gains achieved while opening new avenues of cooperation. Her three goals are to strengthen political dialogue, promote technical and scientific cooperation, and expand people-to-people connections between Ghanaians and Mexicans.
Mexico and Ghana have much more in common than one might imagine at first glance: ancient cultures, cuisines with similar flavors, young and diverse populations, and even tropical climates in several regions. Her mission is to highlight these similarities and turn them into platforms for collaboration.
Trade, Investment and International Cooperation
One of the embassy’s key initiatives is international cooperation in the area of scientific and technical cooperation in agriculture, particularly in crops that are important in Ghana. Cooperation is a pillar of Mexican foreign policy, especially under the South-South cooperation framework. Mexico shares experiences, knowledge, and best practices derived from its own development process, turning challenges into opportunities.
In terms of trade and investment, the Embassy is at a favorable moment to diversify markets. Trade between Mexico and Ghana is still modest and does not reflect the real potential of our economies. The Embassy is supporting the efforts of Mexican companies to internationalize and expand their presence in Ghana. On the other hand, there have been meetings with some chambers of commerce and businesspeople for close collaboration, for example, in agribusiness.
Her Excellency believes that South-South trade opportunities have not been fully explored which can bring significant benefits due to the growing middle class and young population. She is hopeful the policies by the new Ghanaian government will aid in resolving the current existing challenges: improving connectivity with direct transport routes, strengthening legal frameworks, and generating greater certainty for trade and investment.
People-To-People Engagement
According to Her Excellency, it is a pleasant surprise to discover that many young Ghanaians know about her country, Mexico through Mexican telenovelas, which she indicated is an example of the power of culture to bring people together. The Embassy is working closely with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts to implement an MOU signed last year and other various Ghanaian institutions to promote dialogue and cultural exchange.
Mexico is a country of enormous diversity, and one significant root is African, represented by its Afro-Mexican population of more than two and a half million people. This heritage has left a mark on the country’s identity: history, fight for independence, cuisine, music, and dance. The Embassy will inaugurate the photo exhibition Afro-descendant Mexico: Diversity and Culture, next week.
Sports is another fundamental area of connection and unity through discipline, competition, and passion. In Mexico, sports diplomacy is always a positive and safe investment and conversations are currently ongoing for a collaboration in this area.
Ghana, Mexico Collaboration
· Agriculture: sharing of experiences and technologies for rural development.
· Creative industries: sharing Mexico’s success, which resonates with the dynamism of Ghanaian youth.
· Sports: create unitythrough discipline, passion, and healthy competition.
· Tourism: a powerful tool for cultural exchange and economic growth, where both countries can benefit from promoting its rich history, vibrant tradition, and natural beauty to the world and to each other.
Future of Ghana – Mexico Relations
Next year, Mexico and Ghana will celebrate 65 years of diplomatic relations. It will be a great occasion to celebrate the cordial relation, but above all, to relaunch the commitment of both countries toward a strong and long-lasting relationship. We wish that this anniversary would mark a turning point, with concrete projects in trade, culture, sports, and cooperation.
Mexico sees in Ghana not only a partner of the present but also a strategic ally for building the global future. Her Excellency is convinced that the coming years will bring greater closeness.
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