Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has confirmed that Ghana has been exempted from the latest United States visa restrictions announced on Tuesday, December 16.
The Trump administration revealed plans to expand travel limitations to 20 additional countries and the Palestinian Authority, doubling the number of nations affected by earlier bans on travel and immigration to the US.
Speaking on Wednesday, December 17, during a farewell parade for Ghana Army Engineers deployed to Jamaica to assist with reconstruction efforts, Minister Ablakwa described Ghana’s exemption as a testament to the strong diplomatic relationship between Ghana and the United States.
“Last night, in the latest round of US visa restrictions, which affected almost all our neighbours, President Trump once again exempted our brother country, the Republic of Ghana. We are grateful to President Mahama for leading our foreign policy efforts,” he said.
The expanded US travel ban, which comes into effect on January 1, imposes full-entry restrictions on nationals of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Syria, and holders of Palestinian Authority passports.
Countries previously under partial restrictions, including Laos and Sierra Leone, have now been moved to the full ban list. Partial restrictions have also been applied to 15 other countries, including Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
The Trump administration cited security concerns, including high visa overstay rates, unreliable civil records, corruption, terrorist activity, and lack of cooperation in accepting deported nationals, as reasons for the expanded restrictions.
Minister Ablakwa’s statement highlights Ghana’s position as a trusted partner and underscores the importance of ongoing diplomatic efforts in maintaining favourable bilateral relations with the United States.
