Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, says that Ghana and Morocco have reached an agreement to initiate moves to waive visa requirements for all categories of travellers between the two countries.
Mr. Ablakwa said that the move was aimed at fostering closer diplomatic and economic ties and that the agreement would be presented to the Parliaments of the two countries for ratification in the coming weeks.
Speaking after holding discussions with the Moroccan Ambassador to Ghana, Her Excellency Imane Ouaadil, the minister said: “We have both additionally pledged to deepen collaboration in agribusiness, tourism, and security.’’
Mr. Ablakwa described the meeting as “fruitful and assuring” and used the opportunity to address concerns over recent social media reports alleging violence against Africans in Morocco.
According to him, the Moroccan Ambassador firmly refuted claims that some 700 Africans had been killed in Morocco, clarifying that the widely circulated video in question was an old recording of a tragic border incident that occurred on 24th June 2022.
“Apparently, the footage in issue is an old 24th June 2022 border incident which led to the tragic, unfortunate, and condemnable loss of 23 lives. That deplorable incident has since been investigated by Moroccan and Spanish authorities,” Mr Ablakwa stated.
“It is worth noting that no Ghanaian casualty was recorded,” he said.
He disclosed that Morocco had doubled its annual scholarships for Ghanaian students, increasing the number from 90 to 180, starting this year.
According to the report by Daily Graphic on Monday, prior to the minister’s engagement with the Moroccan Ambassador, Mr Ablakwa also met with the Russian Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Sergei Berdnikov, where they discussed various areas of bilateral cooperation.
“Ghana will continue to pursue our longstanding foreign policy of positive neutrality and serve as a credible voice for global peace,” the report quoted the minister as saying.
GIK/APA