Ghana’s Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt has called for a reciprocal visa waiver agreement for holders of diplomatic and service passports between Ghana and Egypt as part of efforts to deepen bilateral relations.

Professor Justice Solomon Korantwi-Barimah also appealed for the facilitation of appropriate work permits and residence visas for Ghanaian local staff permanently employed at Ghana’s Mission in Cairo.

Currently, such staff operate under tourist visas, a situation the Ambassador said hampers the effective discharge of their duties.

Professor Korantwi-Barimah made the proposals during a courtesy call on Egypt’s Chief of Protocol and Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador El Dessouki Youssef, in Cairo, where he presented his Open Letters.

He noted that Ghana and Egypt share a longstanding bond of friendship and common interests, pioneered by Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, and Egypt’s first President, Gamal Abdel Nasser. He praised the two leaders for their roles in African liberation, unity and the advancement of Pan-Africanism.

The Ambassador conveyed warm greetings from President John Dramani Mahama to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, describing relations between the two countries as special and historically rooted, dating back to the 1950s. He also extended greetings from Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP), to his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdel-Aati.

Professor Korantwi-Barimah, who is also accredited to Lebanon, Palestine and Sudan, highlighted recent high-level engagements between Presidents Mahama and Al-Sisi at the 7th African Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in Malabo.

He also referenced the invitation extended to President Mahama to attend the inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum in November 2025, describing these developments as signals of strengthening bilateral ties.

He reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to working closely with Egypt to leverage their shared influence within the African Union to promote peace, security and prosperity across the continent.

In the spirit of brotherhood, he added that President Mahama would be honoured to welcome President Al-Sisi to Ghana for an official state visit, thereby elevating relations to a strategic level.

The Ambassador also underscored the trade and investment opportunities available in both countries and called for the reactivation of the Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation to expand collaboration across key sectors.

He lauded Egypt’s use of Public-Private Partnerships to modernise infrastructure, create jobs and grow the economy, noting that Ghana is ready to learn from Egypt and share experiences.

In response, Ambassador El Dessouki Youssef conveyed President Al-Sisi’s appreciation for President Mahama’s participation in the opening ceremony of the Grand Egyptian Museum, saying such engagements would further strengthen bilateral relations.

He recalled fond memories of his tenure as Egypt’s immediate past Ambassador to Ghana and said relations between the two countries have grown steadily over the years.

He assured that efforts would be made to reactivate the Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation to explore new areas of collaboration.

However, he raised concerns about the Bank of Ghana’s 2025 directive imposing a five per cent levy on foreign currency cash withdrawals from accounts funded by electronic transfers or cheques, noting that the policy affects the operations of the Egyptian Embassy in Accra.

He cautioned that Egypt might consider reciprocal measures affecting Ghana’s Embassy in Cairo if the issue persists.

Ambassador Youssef also advised Ghana to consider relocating its Embassy to Egypt’s New Administrative Capital, noting that land prices remain relatively moderate but are expected to rise in the coming years.

On the proposed visa waiver agreement, he said preliminary work had already been undertaken and assured that the proposal would be forwarded to the appropriate Egyptian authorities.

On work permits and residence visas, he said the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs would liaise with the Ministry of Interior to address the challenges facing Ghanaian local staff.

Responding to the concerns raised, Professor Korantwi-Barimah assured his host that the issue of the five per cent levy would be brought to the attention of Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant authorities for an amicable resolution.

He reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to further strengthening the longstanding bilateral relations between Ghana and Egypt.