Ghana and Saint Kitts and Nevis have agreed to extend their 2018 Visa Waiver Agreement to include holders of ordinary passports, in a move aimed at boosting tourism, trade, business exchanges, and people-to-people connections between the two countries.

President John Dramani Mahama announced the decision on Wednesday at an official luncheon held at the Presidency in Accra in honour of Prime Minister Terrance Michael Drew.

The president described the extension as a practical and transformative step that will significantly ease travel and strengthen economic ties. The original 2018 agreement applied only to holders of diplomatic and service passports, but the revised arrangement now covers ordinary passport holders.

“This practical and transformative step will substantially facilitate tourism, trade, business exchanges, and people-to-people connections,” President Mahama stated.

Labour Mobility and Skilled Exchange

Beyond the visa waiver, the two countries have agreed to continue discussions on structured labour mobility arrangements. President Mahama disclosed that Ghana is prepared, where appropriate, to support Saint Kitts and Nevis with skilled professionals, including nurses, teachers, and other technical experts, under mutually beneficial frameworks.

Key Sectors for Deeper Cooperation

The leaders identified priority sectors for expanded collaboration, including tourism development, climate-resilient agriculture, renewable energy, blue economy initiatives, hydro-state tourism, and cultural industries.

President Mahama acknowledged that while improved air connectivity between Africa and the Caribbean remains critical, progress should not be stalled by structural constraints. He pointed to platforms such as the African-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF) and the African Continental Free Trade Area as immediate pathways for expanding trade and investment partnerships.

He said the shared ambition is to position Ghana and Saint Kitts and Nevis as model partners in South-South cooperation.

Strengthening Africa-Caribbean Solidarity

President Mahama commended Prime Minister Drew’s leadership within CARICOM, including the successful hosting of the 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Saint Kitts and Nevis. He also expressed appreciation for the opportunity to address CARICOM leaders virtually and welcomed the bloc’s principled stance on reparative justice.

The President noted that Ghana recognises the vulnerabilities faced by small island developing states, particularly in relation to climate change, rising sea levels, food insecurity, and external economic shocks. He affirmed Ghana’s solidarity with Saint Kitts and Nevis in advocating for climate justice, equitable access to climate finance, and reforms to global financial institutions to better reflect the realities of developing nations.

A Historic Visit

President Mahama described Prime Minister Drew’s presence in Ghana as more than an official visit, calling it a homecoming. He noted that Dr Drew is the first Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis to undertake an official visit to Ghana, marking a historic chapter in bilateral relations.

Though separated by the Atlantic Ocean, the President said, the two nations remain united by history, ancestry, culture, and spirit. He stressed that the artificial mental and economic barriers that once separated Africa and the Caribbean must now give way to bridges of trade, mobility, knowledge exchange, and cultural renewal.

He also expressed strong support for renewed engagement between the African Union and CARICOM, emphasising that political solidarity must be matched by concrete economic integration.

President Mahama further described the expansion of the African Export-Import Bank into the Caribbean as a bold and strategic step toward unlocking trade, investment, and financial cooperation across the Atlantic.

He concluded by thanking Prime Minister Drew for extending his stay in Ghana to participate as a special guest in the country’s 69th Independence Anniversary celebrations, describing his presence as symbolic of the enduring connection between Africa’s liberation struggles and the Caribbean’s continuing pursuit of economic emancipation.