Ghana Signs Visa Waiver Agreement With Mozambique For Service, Diplomatic Passport Holders
The Republics of Ghana and Mozambique have signed a visa waiver agreement which essentially removes the need for service and diplomatic passport holders to obtain visas before traveling to each other’s country.
The two countries signed the agreement today Monday 23 May 2022, at the Jubilee House, when the President of Mozambique, Felipe Jacinto Nyusi, as part of his four-day state visit to Ghana, paid a courtesy call on his Ghanaian counterpart, President Akufo-Addo.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, signed the agreement on behalf of Ghana and Verónica Nataniel Macamo Dlhovo, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, signed for her country, Mozambique.
The two foreign ministers also signed a second agreement on general cooperation between their respective nations, Ghana and Mozambique.
Elevating relations
The two leaders, President Akufo-Addo and President Felipe Jacinto Nyusi, after supervising the signing of the two agreements, addressed the press at the foyer of the Jubilee House.
President Akufo-Addo, in his statement noted that the relations between Ghana and Mozambique dates back to the struggle for freedom and independence from colonial rule and that it was his hope that the visit of President Felipe Jacinto Nyusi, will renew the bond of friendship.
“We have now decided to elevate our relationship to a strategic partnership between two countries by convening a joint permanent joint commission for cooperation to govern the relations between us” President Akufo-Addo said.
Valuable lessons
According to President Akufo-Addo, the COVID-19 pandemic and the on-going Russian war in Ukraine has thought the world and particularly, Africa, valuable lessons that should help the continent to develop strong defenses that will help her withstand such challenges in the future.
“This visit of his excellency is taking place at a time when the world is dealing with the ravages of COVID-19 and the effects of rising tensions across the globe as seen in the Russia invasion of Ukraine as well as confronting the threats posed by terrorism and violent extremism” President Akufo-Addo said.
“Every country on this earth including our own, is bearing the brunt of these developments”.
“We are learning of valuable lessons from them and that is to develop the necessary infrastructure and resilient systems to mitigate any such devastating impacts in future and that no country can go it alone” Akufo-Addo added.
AfCFTA / UN support
President Akufo-Addo, registered the gratitude of the government and people of Ghana, to Mozambique for supporting her bid to host the secretariat of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
“The importance of the AfCFTA should not be lost on anyone, as its successful operation has the potential to transform the economic circumstances of the (African) continent”.
As a reciprocal act, President Akufo-Addo, assured President Felipe Jacinto Nyusi, that, just as his country supported Ghana’s successful candidature for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations (UN) Security Council for the years 2022 and 2023, Ghana will be supporting Mozambique’s bid as well.
“I want to assure you that when the vote is taken in June for membership of the non-permanent seat for Eastern and Southern Africa, Ghana will be a firm and unconditional supporter of Mozambique for the seat” Akufo-Addo said.
“Ghana is helping to ensure that Africa’s voice is heard loud and clear in the deliberations of the Security Council, both on matters affecting the continent and on global issues and both of us are consulting broadly to define Africa’s interests” he added.
State visit
President Jacinto Nyusi, as part of his visit, will together with President Akufo-Addo, visit the AfCFTA secretariat in Accra and lay wreath at the Kwame Nkrumah mausoleum in honour of the late first President of the Republic of Ghana.
President Felipe Jacinto Nyusi, arrived in Ghana for his four-day state visit on Sunday 22 May 2022. The Mozambican President was met on arrival at the Jubilee Lounge of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) by Vice President of the Republic, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
AfDB 2022 meetings
As part of his visit, President Nyusi will attend the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), annual general meetings which is scheduled to take place in Accra from 23 to 27 May 2022.
This year’s meetings, which will be in a hybrid format, will take place from 23 to 27 May at the Accra International Conference Center.
The upcoming meetings mark a return to in-person meetings following virtual gatherings over the last two years.
The theme of the African Development Bank Group’s 2022 Annual Meetings is “Achieving Climate Resilience and a Just Energy Transition for Africa.”
The meetings are the Bank Group’s most important event of the year. They attract some 3,000 delegates.
They bring together the Bank’s leadership and shareholders to take stock of the institution’s progress. They also provide a unique forum for representatives of governments, businesses, civil society, think tanks, academia, and the media, to discuss critical issues concerning Africa’s development.
African leaders will discuss the nature of the support they need from global development partners, as well as the estimated cost of building resilience and a just energy transition for their economies.
Wilberforce Asare