President John Mahama arrives in Seoul and holds talks with President Lee Jae Myung
President John Dramani Mahama is pushing for a visa waiver between Ghana and South Korea, to strengthen bilateral relations and ease the movement of nationals of the two countries.
The President said this during a five-day working visit to South Korea, where he is holding high-level talks with South Korean leaders aimed at strengthening diplomatic and economic cooperation between the two countries.
A visa waiver allows citizens from specific countries to travel to another country for short-term tourism or business (usually up to 90 days) without obtaining a traditional visa.
“We look forward to signing visa waiver agreement with Korea for diplomatic passports and official passports. This will make it easier for exchanges between our two countries,” the President said yesterday.
The two leaders have agreed to deepen collaboration in areas including climate action, digital innovation and maritime security.
Following the meeting, both sides witnessed the signing of three agreements: a climate-change cooperation accord, a memorandum of understanding on technology and digital innovation, and a separate maritime safety and security agreement between the Korea Coast Guard and the Ghana Navy.
South Korea’s President, Lee Jae Myung, expressed appreciation to the Ghana Navy for its role in protecting South Korean nationals and commercial interests in the Gulf of Guinea, noting that the new maritime agreement would strengthen joint efforts to maintain security in the region.
President Mahama highlighted Ghana’s significant mineral resources, including bauxite, manganese, gold, lithium and nickel. He said Ghana was interested in partnering with South Korea to explore these resources and expand cooperation along mineral value chains.
The two leaders also discussed expanding collaboration in areas such as agriculture, education, culture and economic security, while exchanging views on regional and global developments, including tensions in the Middle East.
As part of his visit, President Mahama is also expected to meet the Speaker of South Korea’s National Assembly, Woo Won-shik, and engage members of the Ghanaian community in the country.
Other activities on the President’s schedule include attending a ship-naming ceremony at Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan and participating in a conferment ceremony at Yonsei University, one of the country’s leading academic institutions.
The visit is expected to conclude with a dinner meeting with South Korean business leaders aimed at promoting investment opportunities and strengthening economic ties between Ghana and South Korea.
By Vera Owusu Sarpong