Algeria and Ghana conclude a reciprocal visa exemption deal

A mutual visa exemption agreement for bearers of diplomatic and service passports has been reached between Ghana and Algeria.

The two nations also addressed the prospect of expanding the mutual visa exemption arrangement to regular passport holders, according to a joint statement released in Accra following Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa’s official visit to Algeria on April 29 to 30.

The visit, which was organized at the invitation of Ahmed Attaf, Algeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad, highlighted Ghana and Algeria’s shared will to fortify their long-standing alliance and advance collaboration in key areas.

According to the communiqué, the two foreign ministers had bilateral talks as part of the visit, which were followed by a longer working session.

According to the statement, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation and reached an agreement on a set of priority actions, which include: establishing a mechanism for political consultations by signing a memorandum of understanding; increasing high-level political contacts through frequent visits; updating and finalizing draft agreements under negotiation; proposing new legal instruments to strengthen the framework for cooperation; and holding the fourth session of the Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation in Accra before the end of 2025 to identify and implement cooperation projects in fields like justice, higher education and vocational training, transportation, agriculture, health, the pharmaceutical industry, agro-industry, and building materials.

Africa’s reaction
According to the communique, the two ministers emphasized the necessity of coordinated African responses to regional and international challenges. They also emphasized the importance of prioritizing dialogue, reconciliation, and negotiated settlements when resolving conflicts on the continent, as well as the idea that Africans should solve African problems.

Both ministers voiced their profound worry about the ongoing humanitarian and security issues in the Sahel area.

They concurred that the region’s complicated problems could not be solved by a purely military strategy.

Rather, they promoted an all-encompassing approach that tackles the underlying causes by increasing funding for infrastructure, education, development, and the provision of economic possibilities for young people.

Middle East

The communique stated that the ministers expressed profound concern over the ongoing hostilities in Gaza and reaffirmed their firm support for a two-state solution that would ensure the Palestinian people their legitimate right to an independent and sovereign state. On the issue of Western Sahara, it stated that both parties reaffirmed the necessity of a political solution based on pertinent UN Security Council resolutions, as well as the principles of the UN Charter and the AU Constitutive Act that guaranteed the right of self-determination to the Sahrawi people.

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