Ghana and Slovakia are set to begin immediate negotiations towards a visa waiver agreement as the two countries move to strengthen bilateral relations and expand economic cooperation.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, disclosed this after receiving the open letters of four newly appointed nonresident ambassadors to Ghana.
The envoys are Sweden’s Ambassador-Designate, Anna Westerholm; Slovakia’s Ambassador-Designate, Martin Podstavek; Finland’s Ambassador-Designate, Sanna Selin; and Thailand’s Ambassador-Designate, Thirapath Mongkolnavin.
Announcing the engagements in a post on X, Mr Ablakwa said Ghana and Slovakia had agreed to begin negotiations towards a visa waiver arrangement.
“Ghana and Slovakia have agreed to immediately commence negotiations for a Visa Waiver Agreement,” he stated.
He further disclosed that Slovakia would host a Ghana-Slovakia business forum within the next two weeks to explore investment and business opportunities in key sectors.
“Slovakia will host a Ghana-Slovakia business forum within the next two weeks focusing on the automotive, banking and pharmaceutical sectors,” he said.
According to the minister, the two countries are also exploring a partnership that could facilitate the delivery of buses to Ghana and the establishment of a vehicle assembly plant.
“We are also exploring a partnership to deliver buses and a vehicle assembly plant in Ghana,” Mr Ablakwa added.
On Ghana’s relations with Sweden, the Foreign Affairs Minister highlighted the longstanding diplomatic ties between the two countries, which he said date back to the 17th century.
“Ghana and Sweden cherish our longstanding relations since the 17th-century,” he stated.
He said Sweden had expressed its readiness to work with Ghana to advance cooperation under President John Dramani Mahama’s New Economy initiative.
“Sweden will work with us to advance our cooperation under President Mahama’s New Economy initiative,” he said.
The proposed areas of cooperation include railway construction, artificial intelligence investments, agribusiness, partnerships to digitalise revenue administration and defence cooperation.
Turning to Ghana’s relations with Finland, Mr Ablakwa said both countries had agreed to strengthen their existing cooperation in several areas, including education, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), fintech incubation, maritime security and counterterrorism.
“Ghana and Finland will continue to cement our excellent relations,” he said.
He added that the two countries had agreed to expand existing partnerships in the identified sectors.
“We have agreed to expand existing cooperation in education, TVET, Fintech incubation, maritime security and counterterrorism collaboration,” the minister stated.
Meanwhile, Ghana and Thailand are expected to deepen cooperation in several areas, including Ghana’s ambition to secure BRICS partnership status.
Mr Ablakwa said Ghana would work with Thailand on its application, taking advantage of the Asian country’s experience as an official BRICS partner nation.
“Ghana and Thailand will work together on Ghana’s application for BRICS partnership considering that Thailand is a successful official BRICS partner nation,” he disclosed.
The two countries have also agreed to hold political consultations and exchange expertise in rice production as Ghana seeks to reduce its dependence on imported rice.
According to Mr Ablakwa, the collaboration is expected to strengthen local production, reduce the country’s rice import burden and create employment opportunities.
He said the countries would also share knowledge on labour mobility partnerships and deepen cooperation in the fisheries sector.
“Ghana and Thailand have also agreed to hold political consultations, exchange expertise on rice production with the view to curbing Ghana’s unsustainable rice imports and create local capacity and jobs,” he stated.
On fisheries, the minister said the partnership would focus on boosting local canned fish production.
He added that both countries would “deepen fisheries cooperation in order to boost the production of canned fish in Ghana under a special partnership.”
