Ghana and Zambia have taken their relation to another level following the signing of 10 memoranda of understanding (MoUs), including a visa waiver agreement between the two countries.
This was achieved during the three-day official visit of President John Dramani Mahama at the invitation of his Zambian counterpart, President Hakainde Hichilema.
The signing of the MoUs took place at the Zambian State House in Lusaka on day two of President Mahama’s visit.
Mr Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa, Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Mr Rodney Siumba, Zambia’s Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and his other colleague Ministers signed for their respective countries.
The MoUs included an agreement on the Waiver of Visa Requirements for Holders of Diplomatic, Officials/Service and Ordinary Passports.
Others are Diaspora Cooperation, Disaster Risk Management, MoU between the Ghana Export Promotion Authority and the Zambia Development Agency and MoU between the Ghana Standards Authority and the Zambia Bureau of Standards in the area of Standardization, Conformity Assessment and Training.
The rest are an addendum to the MoU on Military Defence between Ghana and Zambia, the signing of the Bilateral Air Service Agreement between Ghana and Zambia, the MoU on Cooperation in the field of Health, and another one between Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority and the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority.
Addressing the Zambian National Assembly, President Mahama said the MoU on Waiver of Visa Requirements was an important step towards the free movement of their people on the African continent.
He said peace and security remained indispensable foundations for sustainable development.
President Mahama said Ghana valued its cooperation with Zambia in defence training, intelligence exchange, and peacekeeping, and remained committed to strengthening collective security across the continent.
