Ghana is set to conclude additional visa waiver agreements in the coming months as part of a broader strategy to enhance the international standing of the Ghanaian passport, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has said.
The minister made the disclosure after bilateral engagements on the sidelines of the 39th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“You know that visa waiver agreements remain my priority as Foreign Minister. I expect more visa waiver agreements this year. Even within the month of March, you’ll be hearing some good news,” he stated.
Ablakwa said the Ghanaian passport has undergone major technological enhancements, including the integration of advanced chip-embedded features designed to improve security and global credibility.
“It’s now probably the most secure in terms of the security features we have. It’s fully chip-embedded, and we are ahead of so many countries,” he said.
He added that artificial intelligence-driven systems have been introduced to detect and prevent fraudulent acquisition of passports.
The minister also referenced the recent 30% reduction in passport application fees, stating that access to passports must not be restricted by cost.
“For Ghanaians to have passports, it is a right. Passports should not be a luxury. It’s our national pride. It’s our national identity,” he said.
Ablakwa further disclosed that Ghana’s draft United Nations resolution seeking recognition of the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity has received endorsement at the ministerial level at the African Union.
The resolution will be tabled by President John Dramani Mahama on 25 March.
President Mahama has also been designated by the African Union as champion on the matter, with his mandate extended for ten years.
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