Ghana and Russia strike ‘historic’ visa waiver deal

The deal initially covers diplomatic and service passport holders, with broader access under negotiation, the West African nation’s foreign minister has said

Ghana and Russia have signed their first visa-waiver agreement since establishing diplomatic relations nearly seven decades ago, the West African nation’s foreign minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced, describing the move as “historic.” 

The deal was formalized during Ablakwa’s three-day official visit to Moscow and allows visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic and service passports.

“We shall continue with negotiations for enhanced privileges for all categories of travelers as we bolster trade, investments and people-to-people exchanges,” Ablakwa wrote on X on Monday following talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow.

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Lavrov said the agreement would facilitate contacts between the two governments, including their foreign and economy ministries, while supporting cooperation in trade, investment, education and humanitarian exchanges.

During their talks, Ablakwa thanked Moscow for supporting a Ghana-led UN resolution declaring transatlantic enslavement and racialized chattel slavery among the gravest crimes against humanity. The Ghanaian diplomat said his “visit will map out broader areas of strategic cooperation” between Moscow and Accra.

The two sides also agreed to pursue a cooperation memorandum between Russian and Ghanaian media organizations. The initiative is expected to initially involve RT and Sputnik Africa on the Russian side and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.

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Accra and Moscow established diplomatic relations in 1958, less than a year after Ghana gained independence. Ties expanded under the country’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, with the Soviet Union providing training and university education to Ghanaian students.

In a July 22 interview with the Ghana News Agency, Russian Ambassador to Ghana Andrei Ordash said Moscow had allocated 120 government scholarships to Ghanaian students for the 2026-2027 academic year.

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The visa waiver agreement comes as Moscow expands its diplomatic presence across Africa. Russia reopened embassies in Niger and Sierra Leone and opened a new mission in South Sudan in 2025. It plans further missions in The Gambia, Liberia, Togo and Comoros, which Lavrov said would bring the total number of Russian embassies on the continent to 49.

Russia signed a similar waiver for diplomatic and service passport holders with Mauritania in December and is negotiating broader visa-free arrangements with Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Eswatini. Russian citizens already enjoy reciprocal visa-free travel with 11 African countries, including South Africa, Morocco, Namibia, and Angola.

Today I honoured an invitation from the distinguished Foreign Minister of Russia, H.E. Sergey Lavrov to undertake a 3-day official visit to Russia.

On my first day of this important official visit, we signed a historic Visa Waiver Agreement for holders of Diplomatic and Service… pic.twitter.com/Chm3mx9lQm

— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) August 17, 2026