Ghana is "a beacon of democracy" in Africa - especially West and Central Africa,which has been hit by eight military coups since 2020 - Italy's president Sergio Mattarella said during an official visit to the country on Friday.
"At a time when in some West African countries the democratic system really seems to be faltering, Ghana, which has worked to entrench democratic values, the rule of law, and political and social pluralism, offers a precious model for the entire region and African continent," Mattarella stated.
Mattarella also praised Ghana for its "solid" recovery from an economic and financial crisis that had "put it to the test".
Mattarella made the remarks after talks in Accra, with his Ghanaian counterpart Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Eight coups have West and Central Africa since 2020 and 45 of the continent's 54 countries have been hit by attempted coups since 1950, of which 37 were successful - about two-thirds of African nations.
