By Hannah Dadzie
Ghana and Jamaica have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations as preparations continue for the historic state visit of President John Dramani Mahama to the Caribbean nation.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, held a meeting with his Jamaican counterpart, Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith, in Kingston ahead of President Mahama’s arrival at the invitation of Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Dr. Andrew Holness.
Senator Johnson Smith welcomed Mr. Ablakwa to Jamaica and expressed the country’s excitement about hosting President Mahama during its Emancipation and Independence celebrations.
“Allow me to say, Minister Ablakwa, what an absolute pleasure and honour it is to welcome you once more to Kingston, Jamaica. It gives us even greater pleasure that your visit comes during our Emancipation and Independence Celebration period. The Government of Jamaica not only welcomes you but looks forward very much to welcoming your President tomorrow evening, President John Dramani Mahama,” she said.
Mr. Ablakwa expressed appreciation for the warm reception and said Ghana looked forward to a meaningful and impactful visit.
“It is always a pleasure to be here, and I want to thank you and the team for the very warm reception since our arrival. We are here to honour the invitation of Prime Minister Andrew Holness, and we are really looking forward to the arrival of President John Dramani Mahama on this historic visit, which promises to be very impactful and meaningful,” he said.
The two Foreign Ministers highlighted the longstanding historical, cultural and diplomatic ties between Ghana and Jamaica, and expressed optimism about deepening cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
Senator Johnson Smith said President Mahama’s visit would include key engagements, including an address to a joint sitting of Jamaica’s Parliament and a wreath-laying ceremony at the shrine of Jamaica’s first national hero, the Right Honourable Marcus Mosiah Garvey.
“Among the things being anticipated will be the President’s address to Parliament. An address to a joint sitting of both Houses is a pinnacle of our state visits, and therefore this is a great honour. We are also pleased that the President will be laying a wreath at the shrine of our first national hero, the Right Honourable Marcus Mosiah Garvey, who we know influenced Dr Kwame Nkrumah, your father of independence. So, it is a packed few days,” she said.
Mr. Ablakwa said President Mahama was excited about the visit, which he described as an opportunity to strengthen Ghana-Jamaica relations and advance shared interests, including discussions on reparatory justice.
“President Mahama is upbeat. We had a discussion earlier, and he is really excited about this historic state visit. He is very honoured by the opportunity to become the first Ghanaian President to address a joint sitting of your Parliament and to hold bilateral engagements with the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition,” he said.
“We are also looking forward to this significant dialogue on the reparatory justice agenda. We are still collaborators, working together in the struggle to ensure that reparatory justice is achieved. We are really excited that in Jamaica we have our own family. We are on the same page and in the same struggle,” he added.
The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation in key areas, including trade, culture, maritime affairs, education, health and other sectors of mutual interest.
The meeting is expected to set the stage for high-level discussions during President Mahama’s visit, which is aimed at strengthening diplomatic and economic relations while creating new opportunities for collaboration between Ghana and Jamaica.
The state visit is expected to mark another important milestone in the long-standing relationship between the two countries, built on shared history, cultural connections and a commitment to mutual development.
