Ghana and Russia have opened a new chapter in their 68-year diplomatic relationship with the signing of their first-ever visa waiver agreement, allowing holders of diplomatic and service passports to travel between the two countries without visas.
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced the landmark agreement on Monday, August 17, 2026, during a three-day official visit to Russia at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
The agreement represents a significant diplomatic milestone, coming nearly seven decades after Ghana and Russia established formal bilateral relations in 1958.
“On my first day of this important official visit, we signed a historic Visa Waiver Agreement for holders of Diplomatic and Service Passports,” Mr Ablakwa said in a Facebook post.
“This is the first Visa Waiver Agreement since our two nations established formal bilateral relations in 1958.”
Beyond the agreement, Ghana is pushing for expanded visa privileges that could eventually benefit other categories of travellers as Accra and Moscow seek to deepen trade, investment and people-to-people relations.
Mr Ablakwa said negotiations on enhanced travel arrangements would continue as part of broader efforts to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
The Foreign Affairs Minister also used his bilateral engagements to convey Ghana’s appreciation to Russia for supporting and voting for the Ghana-led United Nations resolution declaring the transatlantic enslavement and racialised chattel as the gravest crime against humanity.
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“This official visit will map out broader areas of strategic cooperation between Ghana and Russia,” he stated.
The latest agreement, however, applies strictly to holders of diplomatic and service passports and does not grant visa-free travel to Ghanaians holding ordinary passports.
Discussions on broader visa privileges are expected to continue as both countries explore new areas of strategic cooperation.
