Ghana and Jamaica waive the visa requirement for citizens

General News of Sunday, June 16, 2019

Source: Myjoyonline.com

2019-06-16

As of July 1, Ghanaians and Jamaicans will be able to visit both countries without a visa.

This was agreed after the Presidents of both countries held bilateral talks in Kingston, Jamaica on Saturday.

The meeting was part of President Akufo-Addo's two-day official visit to this Caribbean country.

Stressing the importance of relations between Ghana and Jamaica, the President said the two countries had an excellent opportunity to strengthen their close ties, imposed by culture and history, in order to achieve maximum economic value for their countries. respective populations.

"We can not have visas obstructing these relations, so my government has decided that while Ghanaians would benefit from a visa-free regime here in Jamaica, we will also put in place visa-free arrangements for Jamaicans in Ghana. ," he said.

He told Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness that this decision will also facilitate and facilitate Jamaicans' access to Ghana to join the "Year of Return".

As the two leaders pledged to reactivate the Ghana-Jamaica Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation, which had been dormant for some time, President Akufo-Addo explained that, if it was well structured, the Commission would serve as the legal framework for achieving the following objectives: business between the two countries.

"It is now time to give weight to these relationships by ensuring that the different areas of engagement in the areas of education, tourism and culture are specifically related.

"It's really my goal to come here, aside from an awareness mission to Jamaica about an event we are commemorating this year," he added.

Return year

Describing the transatlantic slave trade as a "horrific episode in human history," President Akufo-Addo explained that Ghana was keen to commemorate this event, largely because a large number Slaves came from the strongholds of slaves located in Ghana. "We want to commemorate it, to be able to say together that never again will Africa and its people be allowed to be subjugated by this type of dehumanizing and inhuman events. Never again! He added

The President continued: "At the same time, we want to use this year's symbolism to take concrete steps to strengthen the relations of our relatives and friends in the Americas and the Caribbean.

"The relationships we are building here in Jamaica will be part of the process of building relationships between those of us on the African continent and those of you in the diaspora, outside of Africa. . "

His visit to the Caribbean, said the president, aims to "strengthen cross-border relations and create the bridge we need to build over the Atlantic so that we can find a way to reinforce each other and to strengthen our economies. " , to play an increasingly critical role in the new global architecture being developed. We will have intimate relationships. "