Ghana considering visa waivers for African countries – Ayorkor Botchwey.
The Foreign Affairs Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has announced that Ghana is considering visa waivers for African countries.
This follows the recent decision by Rwanda, Kenya, and South Africa to allow Africans to travel to their countries visa-free.
In an interview with Citi News, Ms Botchwey said Ghana wants to join the visa-free countries soon. She said that the government is “on the drawing board looking at it” and that it is “something that we are seriously thinking about.”
Ms Botchwey also noted that Ghana has plans to attract people of African descent to the diaspora. She said that Ghana wants to be a “pilgrimage country” for them to touch with the motherland.
The Foreign Affairs Minister said that the government is working on the visa waiver agreement with the Ministries of Interior and Tourism. She said that the government will come out with a decision very soon.
Meanwhile, Ghana and South Africa have signed a visa waiver agreement, which allows citizens of both countries to travel freely for business and tourism, without any visa restrictions. The agreement took effect on November 1, 2023.
The visa waiver applies to holders of ordinary passports, who are allowed to stay in the other country for up to 90 days within a calendar year.
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The agreement is expected to boost trade and tourism between the two countries. It is also seen as a sign of the growing relationship between Ghana and South Africa.
