Visa waiver, economic cooperation top Ghana–Korea bilateral talks

President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans for Ghana and the Republic of Korea to deepen diplomatic and economic relations through a visa waiver agreement and expanded development cooperation.

Speaking during bilateral talks with the South Korean President, Mahama said both countries are working to strengthen ties in key sectors including trade, agriculture, technology and maritime security.

He revealed that Ghana and Korea are preparing to sign a visa waiver agreement for holders of diplomatic and official passports to facilitate easier travel and closer cooperation between government officials of the two nations.

“We also look forward to signing a visa waiver agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders, which will make exchanges between our two countries much easier,” President Mahama said.

The President noted that the agreement would enhance diplomatic engagement and strengthen bilateral relations between Accra and Seoul.

Mahama also expressed Ghana’s interest in accessing Korea’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) to support the country’s development priorities.

“Ghana has also emerged from a recent financial crisis. We have successfully restructured our debt, and our economy is now back on track,” he stated.

He added that Ghana’s improving economic indicators make it well-positioned to benefit from renewed financial cooperation with Korea.

“Inflation is declining, our currency has strengthened, and we are meeting our debt obligations. We therefore look forward to accessing the Economic Development Cooperation Fund once again,” Mahama explained.

Beyond economic cooperation, the President highlighted maritime security as another important area of collaboration between the two countries.

“Korea has long been a strong seafaring nation, and issues of maritime security are important to both our countries. Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea is a major concern, and we are pleased that one of the memoranda we will sign today focuses on maritime safety and cooperation,” he said.

Mahama further stressed that the partnership between Ghana and Korea is built on shared democratic values and a long-standing diplomatic relationship.

“Our relationship is not defined by the distance between our two countries, but rather by the similarity of the values we share,” he added.