The European Union is preparing to deepen its security cooperation with Ghana as part of a broader effort to expand defence partnerships with countries around the world.

The EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, announced that the bloc will sign new security and defence partnership agreements with Ghana, Australia and Iceland in the coming days.

Speaking at the EU Ambassadors Conference 2026 in Brussels, Kallas said the planned agreements form part of a wider EU strategy to strengthen its global network of security partnerships amid growing geopolitical uncertainty.

“Later this week I will sign the tenth with Australia and subsequent ones with Iceland and Ghana in the coming days,” she said.

Global alliances shifting

According to Kallas, increasing interest in cooperation with the EU reflects a broader shift in global diplomacy, with countries seeking to diversify their alliances in response to rising geopolitical risks.

“There are many other interested countries knocking at our door,” she said, noting that a growing number of nations are looking to expand their partnerships in order to manage heightened security challenges.

The proposed agreements come at a time when the EU says the international system is under increasing pressure due to geopolitical conflicts and challenges to international law.

Conflicts shaping global security outlook

In her address, Kallas pointed to ongoing instability in the Middle East and the continuing war between Russia and Ukraine as key examples of tensions shaping the current global environment.

She warned that the erosion of international law and the rise of power-based geopolitics are reshaping the global order, making stronger international cooperation increasingly necessary.

Kallas also highlighted conflicts in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo as examples of instability affecting parts of Africa.

Cooperation expected in defence and security dialogue

While specific details of the proposed EU-Ghana agreement have not yet been publicly disclosed, the partnership is expected to strengthen cooperation in areas such as defence dialogue, security coordination and strategic collaboration.

The initiative will form part of the EU’s broader security framework, which includes cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as well as bilateral defence partnerships with countries across Europe, Asia and North America.

Kallas said expanding the EU’s network of partnerships is essential to maintaining global stability and supporting a rules-based international system.

Economic and diplomatic partnerships also expanding

Beyond security, the EU is also expanding its economic and diplomatic partnerships worldwide.

Kallas noted that the bloc has recently expanded its global trade network through agreements with Mercosur and India, bringing nearly two billion consumers into its wider trade area.

She said partnerships remain central to the EU’s strategy for maintaining global influence while promoting cooperation to address shared international challenges.

If finalised, the planned security agreement would mark another step in strengthening diplomatic and strategic ties between Ghana and the European Union.