President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has disclosed his government’s resolve to implement a visa-free policy in 2024 for all Africans travelling to Ghana.
According to the President, his administration has initiated processes to implement the policy this year.
Addressing participants at the opening of the 2024 Africa Prosperity Dialogue on Thursday, January 25, the President stated, “I know that many of you had to acquire a visa to come to this event; we made a special arrangement for this conference.”
“We reduced the visa acquisition fee by 50%, and we were thus able to receive your visa on arrival. The Government of Ghana is committed to ensuring visa-free access for all Africans travelling into our country, and the process has begun to implement the policy this year.”
He called for a critical examination of these dialogues in meeting the demands and expectations of the private sector.
The President also charged Africans to work hand in hand to strengthen their governments in a free and fair democratic system of governance.
He entreated Africans to work together to get the buy-in of the small traders and farmers to believe that a single market for Africans could benefit them.
“These dialogues have to examine critically the responsibilities and expectations of the private sector and demand the same of the public sector and expect that both can work as partners to achieve the Africa we want. We must strengthen our resolve to work hand in hand with our governments in free and fair democratic systems of governance that promote safe and sound, legal, and institutional frameworks. Let us work to get the buy-in of the small trader, builder, farmer, and seamstress and make them believe that having a single market can benefit them as well,” he entreated.
The two-day program, which has drawn participants from around the world, is under the theme, “Developing Prosperity in Africa: Produce, Add, Value, and Trade” at the Peduase Lodge.
Africa Prosperity Dialogues
The Africa Prosperity Dialogues, organized by the APN in partnership with the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat and the Government of Ghana, among others, serves as a dedicated annual platform that brings together Africa and Global Africa’s business executives and organizations, thought leaders, and political leaders to think together, plan together, and work together with the needed urgency to drive the goal of building the world’s largest single market in Africa.
The Africa Prosperity Dialogues was adopted by the African Union on February 19, 2023, by its supreme policy and decision-making organ, as an important instrument for mobilizing private sector ownership and drive of the continent’s all-important AfCFTA project.
This took place at the 36th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government.