Seoul – Ghana and the Republic of Korea have signed a Visa Waiver Agreement for holders of diplomatic and service passports, marking the first such agreement between the two countries in nearly five decades.
The agreement was signed on 1 June 2026 in Seoul on the sidelines of the Korea-Africa Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, where Ghana also served as co-chair alongside Korea in its capacity as Vice-Chair of the African Union.
Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa signed the agreement after making it a condition of his attendance at the ministerial meeting. Ghana’s Ambassador to South Korea credited Ablakwa’s position as a driving force behind the deal, saying the minister “made it clear that he would not attend the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Korea unless the visa waiver agreement was ready for signature.” 
“His conviction, determination, and leadership challenged all of us to work harder and move faster. His unwavering commitment transformed what seemed difficult into what is now a historic success,” the ambassador wrote.
The agreement follows a visit to Korea by Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama in March 2026, which the ambassador described as planting “a seed of deeper cooperation and stronger partnership between the two nations.” Authorities said work toward extending the visa waiver to holders of ordinary passports would continue.
The ambassador also credited staff at the Ghana Embassy in Seoul and officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Accra for their work in making the agreement possible.
Separately, the ambassador reported holding the first town hall meeting with the Ghanaian community in Korea in five years, on 28 May 2026. The gathering brought together Ghanaians living across the country for what the ambassador described as “a moment of listening, sharing, laughing, and reconnecting as one community.”
“I strongly believe that the Ghana Embassy should not simply be a place for administrative work, but a home and a partner for every Ghanaian living in Korea,” the ambassador said, adding that similar meetings were planned for other regions beyond Seoul and Paju.
The ambassador also acknowledged Korean nationals who have supported the Ghanaian community, saying “their kindness and sincere hearts are building a beautiful bridge between Ghana and Korea.”
