Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has said Ghana’s decision to negotiate its way out of United States visa restrictions was timely, especially ahead of the upcoming World Cup matches to be played in North America.
According to him, Ghana’s exemption from the restrictions has spared Ghanaian citizens, particularly football fans, from serious travel challenges during the tournament.
Speaking on TV3 and monitored by NewsDesksGH on December 18, Samuel Ablakwa highlighted US President Donald Trump imposition of strict visa restrictions on 36 countries earlier this year.
He noted, “So far we’re the only country that has been able to negotiate out of that VISA restrictions.”
The Foreign Affairs Minister further disclosed that the restrictions were later expanded saying that Trump had recently imposed restrictions on 15 more countries and tightened restriction on the first 36.
“Ghana once again has been exempted. This is the 3rd time after we negotiated out that we have been exempted. For sports enthusiasts, imagine if we had not negotiated out of that VISA restriction,” he stated.
Samuel Ablakwa explained that under the restricted regime, Ghanaian travellers would have been limited to a single-entry, short-term visa.
He noted that this would have posed some difficulties during the World Cup, as Ghana is scheduled to play matches in both the United States and Canada.
“What it means is that you can only go in there with a single entry, you cannot follow the team out of the United States. If you follow the team out to go watch a match in Canada, that’s it. You can’t re-enter the United States,” he explained.
According to him, early diplomatic engagement helped avert what could have been a major setback for Ghanaian citizens.
“If we had not been proactive and we had not hurriedly put the interests of our citizens first, we would’ve been in really big trouble,” he said.
The Minister said he remains excited and grateful for what he described as the achievements of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the current administration.
In September 2025, Ghana negotiated the reversal of the US visa policies after agreeing to streamline the repatriation of its nationals and prioritise the acceptance of West African deportees under ECOWAS protocols.
The deal drew criticism from some quarters, with critics arguing it was less an achievement and more a concession to US pressure.
