Ghana and Saint Kitts and Nevis signed three bilateral agreements at the Jubilee House in Accra on Wednesday, March 4, including a landmark visa exemption arrangement that for the first time extends visa-free travel to holders of ordinary passports from both countries.
The signing took place during the state visit of Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Michael Drew, who arrived in Accra on Tuesday, March 3, and was formally received by President John Dramani Mahama with full military honours. The three agreements cover a formal political consultation mechanism between the two governments, the visa exemption for ordinary passport holders, and a labour arrangement to regulate the structured recruitment of Ghanaian medical professionals by Saint Kitts and Nevis.
The visa deal replaces a 2018 agreement that applied only to holders of diplomatic and service passports, making the latest arrangement a substantial expansion of travel access for ordinary citizens of both nations. President Mahama said the change reflects the depth of trust between the two governments. “Ghana and Saint Kitts and Nevis have agreed to extend our 2018 visa waiver agreement. This was previously applicable only to holders of diplomatic and service passports. The extension now includes holders of ordinary passports,” he said.
Under the labour agreement, Saint Kitts and Nevis has been added as a destination under Ghana’s Caribbean health worker deployment programme, which provides a structured framework for recruiting Ghanaian medical professionals abroad. President Mahama indicated that Ghana is prepared to support the Caribbean nation with nurses, teachers and other technical experts under mutually beneficial arrangements.
The agreements were concluded under President Mahama’s Accra Reset Initiative, which aims to reposition Ghana’s engagement with global partners. Both leaders also discussed deeper cooperation in tourism, climate-resilient agriculture, renewable energy, blue economy development and cultural industries.
The reparations agenda featured prominently in the talks. President Mahama, who serves as the African Union (AU) Champion for Reparations, is expected to present a resolution at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) later this month seeking recognition of the transatlantic slave trade as a crime against humanity. Prime Minister Drew, who chairs the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), pledged his government’s full support for the initiative. “The question of reparatory justice remains a global conversation not simply about compensation, but about recognition, repair, and the restructuring of global systems that were built on exploitation,” he said.
Prime Minister Drew is scheduled to attend Ghana’s 69th Independence Day celebrations on March 6 before concluding his visit.
