FRIENDSHIP TREATY Germany and Britain have signed a landmark friendship treaty, 80 years after the end of World War II. Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer sealed the agreement — largely negotiated by the previous German government — during a meeting in London on Thursday. The accord — dubbed the "Kensington Treaty" — includes plans for close security and defense cooperation, a mutual assistance clause in crises, and visa simplifications for school exchanges. Critically for the UK, it also features a pledge by Germany to assist in combating illegal immigration. The two countries already signed a defense deal in October, the "Trinity House Agreement" to strengthen their ability to cooperate and conduct exercises on NATO's eastern flank. 17th July,2025

GERMANY REJECTS EU'S €2 TRILLION BUDGET German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil has rejected the European Commission's proposed long-term EU budget, calling it disproportionate amid economic pressures. Speaking at a G20 finance ministers meeting in Durban, Klingbeil said the €2 trillion plan for 2028–34 — which includes around €700 billion in new spending — would not be appropriate given current strains on national budgets. "We absolutely must remain proportionate regarding the finances. I do not see this as being given," he said. Germany is especially opposed to the commission's proposal for new revenue streams, including a levy on large companies with over €100 million in turnover and a cut of national tobacco tax revenues. Klingbeil said the tax ideas send "the wrong signal" and confirmed Berlin cannot support the tobacco measure. The EU's executive wants to redirect the budget toward defense and competitiveness while introducing new income sources like an e-waste tax. Germany, the EU's largest economy, typically contributes nearly a quarter of the bloc's overall funds. 17th July,2025

GERMAN-UK TIES German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has hailed a "new chapter" in relations between Germany and the United Kingdom, expressing a hope that both countries will "respond together" to challenges facing Europe. Speaking at an Airbus factory in Stevenage, just north of London, after signing a wide-ranging "treaty of friendship" with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Merz said that security was the "red thread" running through the deal. "The UK – to my deep and continuing regret – left the European Union, Russia is threatening our European security architecture, and our transatlantic relations are changing like never before," he said. "Under these conditions, we want to secure the freedom, security and prosperity of our two countries. We will both do our bit to protect and defend the Euro-Atlantic space. That is the deal we have made today." Merz's trip to the UK came just one week after French President Emmanuel Macron was honored with a state visit to London – and before Macron's trip to Berlin later this year. "We, the E3, the three biggest European countries, are coming closer together," said Merz. "In terms of security, migration and the economy." 17th July,2025

ETHNIC DIVERSITY Women's football champions tolerance, yet many Euro 2025 squads lack the ethnic diversity usually found in top-level football. https://p.dw.com/p/4xHle England players posing for a team photo ahead of a match England's current squad is slightly more diverse than the team that won the tournament three years agoImage: Markus Fischer/Passion2Press/IMAGO ADVERTISEMENT Matches at Euro 2025 in Switzerland have largely been sold out, with swelling crowds cheering on global stars they recognize from Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Chelsea. At first glance, women's football has never been closer to men's football. Beyond the ongoing battle for equal pay, there is however another glaring and striking difference between men's and women's international football in Europe. Most women's teams are significantly whiter than their male counterparts. While fans, players and football institutions strive to make the women's game inclusive, limited access to football in certain communities means Euro 2025 – at least on the pitch – doesn't really reflect many of the nations being represented. 17th July,2025

CHIEF OF STAFF Organizers of the Boardroom Governance Summit have reaffirmed their commitment to promoting governance excellence, ethical leadership, and national development with a high-level courtesy call to the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, at the Jubilee House ahead of the 2025 edition of the Summit The strategic engagement, held under the auspices of Ghana’s Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, who will also be the Guest of Honor at the Summit in October, marks the beginning of this year’s journey toward the much-anticipated Summit, which is expected to spotlight the national importance of effective corporate governance. The courtesy call was led by the Convenor, renowned industrialist and global governance advocate Professor Douglas Boateng in collaboration with, the Institute of Directors Ghana (IoD-Gh), Ghana Bar Association, Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE), State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) and other partners. Speaking during the engagement, the Chief of Staff reiterated the government’s unwavering commitment to promoting governance excellence across all spheres of national life. “As a nation, there are times when we become accustomed to our usual ways of doing things, and we need someone to prompt us, because if you keep doing the same thing repeatedly, you tend to become complacent. That’s why we’re excited about this summit: it offers a platform to discuss and strategize on how best we can run our institutions and companies more efficiently” he said. Mr. Debrah further emphasized that robust governance structures are foundational to effective public sector delivery and private sector growth, particularly in the face of today’s complex global challenges. “From time to time, we must pause and reflect: what are we doing right, and what are we doing wrong? President Mahama intends to reinvigorate our systems of governance in areas where we have become lax” he added. In his remarks, Professor Douglas Boateng highlighted the importance of national ownership in the governance discourse. “Today’s courtesy call on the government is a reaffirmation of our shared belief that board governance excellence, particularly at the boardroom level, is not a peripheral discussion but a national imperative.,” said Prof. Boateng. He added that the principles guiding boardrooms should extend beyond corporate spaces to public decision-making bodies. He stated, “It is important to remember that boardrooms are not only in corporate towers. Cabinets and ministerial committees are also boardrooms where decisions shaping the destiny of the nation are made. Like corporate boards, they must be guided by best-practice principles of transparency, accountability, competence, and ethical stewardship.” This year’s engagement builds on the momentum generated by the maiden edition in 2024, which brought together over 700 C-suite executives and governance professionals to explore the intricate relationship between boardroom governance, accountability, and sustainable development. With this year’s summit projected to draw an even larger participation and deeper stakeholder engagement, the 2025 edition promises to further entrench the values of ethical leadership and long-term value creation in Ghana’s corporate and public sector institutions. 17th July,2025

UK-GHANA TRADE HITS £1.5BN Outgoing UK High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, has highlighted the significant growth in economic relations between the United Kingdom and Ghana, revealing that bilateral trade between the two nations now stands at £1.5 billion. Speaking on The Point of View on Channel One TV with Bernard Avle on Wednesday, July 16, Ms. Thompson noted that the UK is committed to deepening its economic partnership with Ghana, particularly in the area of trade. Despite global economic turbulence triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, she said trade between the UK and Ghana has shown consistent growth. “Our ambition is to increase the UK-Ghana economic partnership. So partly that is about trade, and it’s very much in two directions. I’m very pleased to say that even after the difficult economic issues we have all seen around the world since the pandemic, the UK-Ghana trade partnership has grown, and that stands at £1.5 billion,” she said. She added that more than half of that trade value comes from Ghanaian exports to the UK, which are primarily made up of gold and oil. However, she noted that other sectors such as agriculture are beginning to register notable growth. “Over half of that is Ghanaian exports to the UK. Admittedly, a lot of that is from gold and oil, but other sectors are growing too, including agriculture and other things,” she stated. Ms. Thompson’s comments come as she wraps up her diplomatic mission in Ghana, during which she oversaw critical UK-Ghana collaborations in trade, climate action, and security. 17th July,2025

EDUCATION MINISTRY The Ministry of Education has taken a major step toward data-driven decision-making with the launch of the reconstituted Education Sector Research Group (ESRG). The inauguration, held on Wednesday, July 16, forms part of the Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project Additional Financing (GALOP AF2), a government initiative aimed at scaling up successful interventions and strengthening the research infrastructure that supports them. As part of this effort, GALOP AF2 is also providing funding for the revitalised ESRG. Addressing the event on Education, Minister Haruna Iddrisu underscored the importance of evidence and data in guiding effective education policies that impact Ghanaian children. In line with this, the ESRG will play a key role in steering the work of GEEDLab, ensuring that its datasets and studies align directly with national policy priorities. The group has been expanded to include a broader membership base, drawing from academia, civil society, think tanks, and development partners. This inclusion ensures that a diverse range of perspectives will inform the Research and Learning Agenda (RLA). The Minister also outlined the expectations for the ESRG, which include facilitating the drafting and finalisation of the RLA to identify and refine high-impact research questions, generating and synthesising evidence into actionable policy briefs, and monitoring the use of such evidence in decision-making to promote accountability. Members of the group were encouraged to apply their expertise and curiosity, challenge existing assumptions, and champion innovation in addressing educational challenges. Haruna Iddrisu expressed appreciation to development partners, particularly the SCALE Funders, the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), and the World Bank, for their continued confidence in Ghana’s education reform agenda and their dedication to building the country’s capacity to learn, adapt, and thrive 17th July,2025

RESPECT GHANAIAN LAW Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has firmly directed the leader of the Igbo community in Ghana, Chukwudi Jude Ihenetu, to respect the country’s laws and customs, following viral claims about plans to establish an “Igbo Kingdom” on Ghanaian soil. In a Facebook post on Wednesday, July 17, Mr. Ablakwa revealed that he had summoned Eze Ihenetu to clarify the alarming claims. The minister noted that while Ghana remains a proud Pan-African nation that welcomes all Africans and people of African descent, foreign nationals must strictly abide by Ghanaian law and avoid actions deemed unlawful, divisive, or incendiary. “Chukwudi conveyed profuse apologies to the President, Government, Chiefs and People of Ghana for the unfortunate agitations his rather ill-advised interview has created,” Ablakwa said. According to the minister, Ihenetu explained that the controversial comments stemmed from a 2013 interview shortly after his coronation as Eze Ohazurume I of Ndigbo, which he now “deeply regrets.” He assured that any such plans were long abandoned and that he had not purchased any land to establish an Igbo settlement or kingdom in Ghana. Minister Ablakwa reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to peaceful coexistence and hospitality but was unequivocal in his caution: “We, however, expect all our fellow Africans and guests to adhere to our peaceful and law-abiding traditions and desist from conduct or pronouncements considered unlawful, divisive, and incendiary even as they enjoy our famed hospitality.” Under Ghanaian law, foreigners are permitted to lease land—typically up to 50 years, renewable—but cannot own land outright, as stipulated in Article 266 of the Constitution and the Lands Act, 2020 (Act 1036). Moreover, the establishment of an independent kingdom or traditional authority structure by a foreign national contravenes the Chieftaincy Act, 2008 (Act 759), which governs Ghana’s recognised traditional leadership systems. Although the matter has now been clarified, the incident briefly stirred public concern and underscored the sensitive dynamics of cultural sovereignty and foreign residency in Ghana. Read below the statement by Okudzeto Ablakwa FROM THE OFFICE OF MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS GHANA.. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa . ???????????? Yesterday [Tuesday, July 16], I invited Chukwudi Jude Ihenetu, the gentleman captured in a viral video claiming he intends to establish an Igbo Kingdom in Ghana following an alleged purchase of a tract of land. Izwe clarified that it was an old 2013 interview which he deeply regrets. He assured that he has long abandoned that idea and has not purchased any piece of land for that purpose. Chukwudi conveyed profuse apologies to the President, Government, Chiefs and People of Ghana for the unfortunate agitations his rather ill-advised interview has created. As I emphasized in the meeting, Ghana is exceptionally proud of its celebrated friendly foreign policy which is welcoming of all to our beautiful and peaceful country, particularly Africans and people of African descent. We are determined to keep championing that Pan-African identity — for which we have attained global renown. We however expect all our fellow Africans and guests to adhere to our peaceful and law-abiding traditions and desist from conduct or pronouncements considered unlawful, divisive and incendiary even as they enjoy our famed hospitality. Government urges calm and restraint and recalls the inseparable bond of friendship and brotherhood between Ghana and Nigeria. Let us all in the true spirit of African solidarity guard our commentary so this matter does not degenerate into xenophobic consequences. 17th July,2025