Ghanaians can now enter the United Arab Emirates (UAE) without a visa.
Gatekeepers News reports that Ghanaians have been granted hassle-free travel to UAE, as a Visa Waiver Agreement for diplomatic, service/special, and ordinary passport holders have been approved by the parliament.
The two nations’ approval of the deal on August 5, 2021, followed the adoption of the Foreign Affairs Committee Report on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ghana and the UAE.
On November 18, 2019, the agreement was executed with the object of waiving the visa requirements for these passport holders in Ghana and the UAE.
The agreement, therefore, allows Ghanaians to stay in UAE for a period not exceeding 90 days.
Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway had presented the MoU to the House on May 26, 2021.
The MoU was afterward referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs for consideration and report in accordance with Order 140(4) and 183 of the Standing Orders of Parliament.
During a presentation of their report, Chairman of the Committee, Bryan Acheampong indicated that the existing cooperation between the two countries gave rise to taking the bilateral relationship to another level.
Acheampong stated that the agreement constitutes a comprehensive framework on visa regimes for both countries, adding that it does not impose obligations on the two parties to admit people who are considered to be of questionable character into their territories.
He noted that the MoU did not impose any financial obligation on the two countries nor provided direct financial gains from its implementation.
According to him, the visa waiver arrangements to facilitate the movement of diplomats and government officials are common, noting that this one makes ordinary passport holders beneficiaries.
According to Henley and Partners’ current world’s passport ranking, Nigeria ranks 101 with 46 access countries, while Ghana ranks 84 with 64 access countries.
