President John Dramani Mahama arrived in Cairo on Friday at the invitation of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to attend the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), scheduled for Saturday, November 1.

Overlooking the Giza Pyramids, the GEM is the world’s largest archaeological museum, celebrating over 5,000 years of Egyptian civilisation.

The $1 billion project — two decades in the making — houses thousands of artefacts, including 4,500 treasures from the tomb of King Tutankhamun.

President al-Sisi has described the museum as a “symbol of Egypt’s leadership in global culture.”

Originally slated to open in July, the ceremony was postponed due to regional tensions. It is now expected to be one of the most significant cultural events of the year.

The project was made possible through cooperation between Egypt and Japan, with Japan providing ¥84.2 billion ($800 million) in soft loans via JICA and JBIC, alongside contributions from Egypt and other international partners. Japanese experts also trained hundreds of Egyptians in conservation and museum management.



The opening comes amid a revival in Egypt’s tourism sector, with revenues reaching $14.4 billion in the 2023–2024 fiscal year and 15 million visitors recorded in the first nine months of 2025.

For Ghana, President Mahama’s participation underscores Africa’s growing role in global cultural diplomacy.

Members of the President’s delegation include Dr Callistus Mahama, Executive Secretary to the President; Mr Stanislav Dogbe, Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations; Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister for Foreign Affairs; Madam Ablah Dzifa Gomashie, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts; and Commissioner of Police (Rtd) Nathan Kofi Boakye.