Maldives (Commonwealth Union)_ The Government of Maldives and the Government of Ghana have signed two important MoUs in an attempt to further strengthen the bilateral ties between the two nations. The agreements were inked during the sidelines of the Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Conference in London. Abdulla Shahid, Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Maldives, and Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of the Republic of Ghana, signed the MoUs on behalf of their respective governments.
The signing event took place at London’s Marlborough House. The following are the two agreements inked between Maldives and Ghana. The first MoU is the agreement on Mutual Exemption of Visa Requirements for Their Respective Nationals signed between the Government of the Republic of Maldives and the Government of the Republic of Ghana. The second MoU is the Political Consultation Agreement between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of Ghana.
According to Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey’s Twitter statement, “An equally proud moment for me @abdulla_shahid. I consider it a historic moment for our two countries, which I believe would help strengthen and move our bilateral relationship to another level”. She added, “Proud to sign two key agreements with #Ghana on bilateral consultations & visa waiver today, which will boost bilateral & people-to-people ties between Maldives and Ghana”. In response, Abdulla Shahid tweeted, “Look forward to further collaborating with Foreign Minister @AyorkorBotchwey on enhancing our relations with Ghana”.
The agreements represent a step toward a deeper bilateral relationship between Ghana and the Maldives through frequent talks between the foreign ministries of both nations and enhanced people-to-people interaction facilitated by mutual exemption of visa. The diplomatic ties between Ghana and the Maldives were established on August 10, 1989. The Maldives and Ghana are two countries that are geographically distant, but share a common interest in promoting economic growth, environmental protection, and cultural exchange.
Additionally, both nations are members of various international organizations such as the United Nations, the Commonwealth, and the World Trade Organization. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in promoting tourism between the two countries, with Ghanaian tourists visiting the Maldives to enjoy its pristine beaches and marine life, and Maldivian tourists visiting Ghana to experience its vibrant culture and history. While the relationship between the Maldives and Ghana is relatively limited at present, there is potential for further collaboration and cooperation in various fields in the future.
