Ghana and Zambia have signed a landmark visa waiver agreement that will allow citizens of both countries to travel between the two nations without the need for visas, a move officials say will deepen people-to-people ties and unlock new economic opportunities.
- Ghana and Zambia signed a visa waiver agreement enabling citizens of either country to travel without visas.
- The agreement aligns with initiatives under the African Continental Free Trade Area to foster regional integration and economic cooperation.
- President Mahama of Ghana and President Hichilema of Zambia emphasized the positive impacts this will have on trade, tourism, and cultural exchange.
- The removal of visa requirements aims to ease travel for students, professionals, and business persons, boosting cross-border opportunities.
The agreement was announced by Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, during President John Dramani Mahama’s state visit to Zambia, where bilateral trade, tourism and diplomatic cooperation were discussed.
Addressing journalists, Ablakwa called the agreement “one of the most significant outcomes” of the trip, saying it would remove “long-standing bureaucratic hurdles” suffered by students, businesspeople, tourists and professionals.
“You will no longer have to stress about visas,” he said, noting the waiver was a key directive from President Mahama.
President Mahama was welcomed in Lusaka by his Zambian counterpart, President Hakainde Hichilema, who welcomed the pact as a boost for regional mobility.
Officials on both sides said the visa-free travel arrangement is expected to enhance trade, tourism, investment and cultural exchange between the two countries.
Boosting regional connectivity and economic cooperation
The visa waiver reflects a broader push among African states to ease cross-border movement as part of wider regional integration efforts.
African Union frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) envision freer movement of people and goods as a way to grow intra-African trade and investment. Advocates say visa liberalisation reduces the cost and complexity of travel, supporting business expansion and stronger cultural ties.
Ghana has been active in expanding visa access in recent years, concluding multiple agreements and signalling plans to roll out an e-visa system to make travel smoother for diaspora Africans and others.
Economists and regional integration supporters argue that more visa waiver agreements across Africa would stimulate intra-continental tourism, trade, and labour mobility, making business and travel easier for citizens across the continent.
Easier movement, they say, can help Africa better realise the economic potential of its 1.4 billion people by facilitating cross-border linkages and expanding access to education, jobs and markets.
As Ghana and Zambia begin implementing the waiver, observers say the pact could serve as a model for other African nations seeking to strengthen economic cooperation and build an Africa that is more connected and open.
