By Enock Akonnor (Managing Editor) enockakonnor2013@gmail.com
Ghana and the United States have agreed on priority areas for cooperation in 2026 following a high-level bilateral engagement held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Accra, Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced.
In a statement shared on his official Facebook page, the Minister said the meeting also reviewed substantial progress made in Ghana–U.S. relations in 2025.
The discussions were hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and led on the U.S. side by Acting U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, Rolf Olson.
According to Mr. Ablakwa, both sides welcomed the successful negotiations that have exempted Ghana from visa sanctions imposed under former U.S. President Donald Trump. Ghana, he said, will continue to be exempt from both visa sanctions and the $15,000 visa bond requirement applied to some other countries.
The meeting further acknowledged the removal of a 15 per cent U.S. tariff on a wide range of Ghana’s unprocessed and semi-processed agricultural products.
The parties expressed satisfaction with the implementation of the tariff removal, describing it as beneficial to bilateral trade.
In a major development for Ghana’s export sector, the United States informed Ghana that the U.S. House of Representatives has voted overwhelmingly 340 to 54 to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) by three years.
AGOA grants duty-free access to the U.S. market for eligible products from Sub-Saharan African countries. Ghana expects the U.S. Senate to give its final approval shortly, a move the Minister said would boost local garment production and create jobs.
On sports-related travel, the U.S. assured Ghana that special measures have been introduced to expedite visa applications ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
These measures are expected to address delays in securing visa appointments. The U.S. Embassy is expected to brief the public soon at a press conference on the new World Cup visa application initiatives.
Security and law enforcement cooperation also featured prominently in the discussions. Both countries applauded improved collaboration that led to the extradition of nine suspects from Ghana to the United States in 2025.
The meeting also noted ongoing efforts to facilitate the transfer of two Ghanaian suspects of high interest from the U.S. to Ghana.
The United States Government, the Minister stated, has assured Ghana that without prejudice to judicial processes it will not obstruct Ghana’s efforts regarding the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta and Sedina Tamakloe Attionu.
Additionally, the engagement confirmed recent payments made to U.S. companies and highlighted improvements in Ghana’s business climate, which both sides agreed would support stronger trade relations.
Mr. Ablakwa also announced that a new major health cooperation initiative between Ghana and the United States will be launched soon.
Looking ahead, he disclosed that Ghana plans to negotiate a bespoke trade agreement with the United States in 2026 aimed at mutual economic benefit.
“The engagement confirmed the incredible positive velocity of our Ghana–U.S. bilateral relations,” the Minister said, expressing optimism about the future of the partnership between the two countries.
Enock Akonnor is an experienced Ghanaian journalist, based in Kumasi and currently serves as the CEO and Managing Editor of www.leakyghana.com.
With a wealth of expertise built over many years in the media industry, he has earned a solid reputation as one of Ghana’s most sought-after journalists.
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