Ablakwa praises US gov’t for clearing visa backlog

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has commended the United States for reducing visa delays affecting Ghanaian applicants.

In a post shared on X on Saturday, Ablakwa highlighted improvements in visa processing at the U.S. Embassy in Accra, describing the intervention as timely and impactful.

“I commended the US for responding favorably to our appeals and introducing new visa processing mechanisms at their embassy in Accra, which has cleared the backlog and drastically reduced waiting time for Ghanaian visa applicants,” he wrote.

The minister made the remarks after holding bilateral talks at the United States Department of State, where he was hosted by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker and Senior Bureau Official for African Affairs Nick Checker.

According to Ablakwa, the discussions were wide-ranging and focused on strengthening ties between Ghana and the United States.

Key areas included trade relations, new business opportunities in both countries, and potential agreements in the social sector.

He also noted that security cooperation, the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), and preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup were among the topics discussed.

“Our constructive bilateral talks covered a wide range of interests, including trade relations, fresh opportunities for businesses from both countries, new agreements in the social sector, security, AGOA, MCC and preparations for the 2026 World Cup,” he stated.

The minister added that both sides acknowledged the strength of the Ghana-US partnership and expressed commitment to deepening cooperation.

“We acknowledged our stronger and more impactful partnership and committed to expanded frontiers,” he noted.

The visa backlog at the U.S. Embassy in Accra had been a major concern for many Ghanaian applicants, with long waiting times affecting travel plans for education, business, and tourism.

The recent improvements are expected to ease pressure and improve access to consular services.