The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Botchwey, and her Guyanese counterpart, Dr. Karen Cummings, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the presence of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Guyanese President David Granger for visa-free travel between the two states.
According to a statement by Guyana’s Ministry of the Presidency (MoTP), the MoU signing which followed a bilateral meeting held at State House, Georgetown, will pave the way for increased cooperation, collaboration, trade and visa-free travel between the two countries.
In an invited comment, Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, said that an agreement on the abolition of the visa requirement for citizens of Guyana and Ghana was signed and this will now pave the way for increased travel between the two nations. According to Harmon, in view of the fact that most Afro-Guyanese identify with the Akan, a popular tribe in Ghana, the agreement also augurs well for cultural exchanges.
“What it means is that persons who are holders of diplomatic, official and regular Guyanese passports can travel to Ghana and likewise, Ghanaians can come to Guyana without the requirement of a visa. In the initial stages, they will be entitled to at least 90 days [three months] without having to renew but after 90 days, then there will be a requirement for renewal based on the laws of the respective countries,” he noted.
The visa-free travel policy comes as good news for both countries but there won’t be any significant increase in travels among the two countries for the non-existence of direct airlines operating between the two countries. Ghana already enjoys visa-free travels to Guyana’s neighbours Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago. Since the easiest way to reach these countries is to transit the United States, it’s almost impossible for Ghanaians who wish to visit those countries to embark on their trips due to the difficulties involved in obtaining a U.S transit visa.
Unlike Malta, there was no mention of a direct airline to operate Ghana – Guyana.
Free is not that free, click here to read about what you have to note before traveling to a visa-free country.
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