By Nathaniel Nartey.
Facebook: Nathaniel Nartey
Twitter: @Annertey_Nartey
Ghanaians will soon be able to travel to São Tomé and Príncipe without any visa requirements following the signing of a visa waiver agreement between the Government of Ghana and the Government of São Tomé and Príncipe.
This is included in a number of MOUs signed by the two nations, which is aimed at improving bilateral relations and economic corporations.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, signed on behalf of Ghana, while her counterpart Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Her Excellency Edite Ten Juan initially signed for her country.
The agreements were signed on October 19, 2021, when Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister paid a working visit to Her Excellency Edite Ten Juan in her country.
Madam Ayorkor Botchway said the agreement covers, “Visa Requirements for holders of diplomatic, service/ official and ordinary passports”.
The visa waiver agreement with Sao Tome and Principe will be the second of such agreements Ghana has signed in 2021.
On August 5, 2021, Ghana’s Parliament approved a visa waiver agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which also covered diplomatic, service/special and ordinary passport holders.
Madam Ayorkor Botchwey’s visit to Sao Tomè and Principe saw the signing of other MOUs captured in three thematic areas namely; the General Cooperation Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the Government of the Republic of Sao Tome & Principe. This will be implemented under fields such as trade, agriculture, mining, education and scientific research, culture activities, health, transport, tourism, small & medium scale artefacts, youth and sports, ICT, energy.
The Memorandum of Understanding was between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe on co-operation in the field of Tourism and Arts & Culture.
The former MP for Anyaa-Sowutuom said, implementing these agreements, ‘’have become even more urgent as the COVID- 19 pandemic has set our countries back. Ghana stands ready to deepen her engagement with Sao Tome and Principe in all areas of bilateral cooperation, including in trade and investments”.
For her part, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Her Excellency Edite Ten Juan expressed appreciation to Ghana for the cordial relationship between the two countries and gave assurances of her country’s preparedness to play their part in the smooth implementation of the MOUs signed.