Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama hosted Terrence Michael Drew, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, at the Jubilee House in Accra, marking a significant moment in the evolving relationship between Africa and the Caribbean.
The historic visit underscored shared historical bonds and a renewed determination to translate political goodwill into tangible economic and social cooperation.
President Mahama welcomed the Prime Minister and his delegation, noting that the relationship between Ghana and St Kitts and Nevis reflects a broader reconnection between peoples of African descent across the Atlantic.
He framed the engagement as part of a larger effort to strengthen links between Africa and the Caribbean in a rapidly changing global environment.
In his address, President Mahama expressed Ghana’s strong support for the renewed momentum between the African Union and CARICOM. He stressed that while political solidarity has long defined relations between the two regions, the time has come to match that unity with concrete economic integration.
He pointed to the potential expansion of the African Export Import Bank, also known as African Export-Import Bank, into the Caribbean as a bold and strategic initiative.
According to the President, such a move could unlock new opportunities in trade, investment, and financial cooperation, creating direct economic bridges across the Atlantic.
“Our responsibility as leaders is to mobilise our people around a unifying vision, one that secures dignity, prosperity, and global respect for people of African descent everywhere in the world.
“We must build systems that empower our youth, expand opportunity, and ensure that our shared civilisation is defined not by its trauma, but by its successes
Ghana’s President HE John Dramani Mahama
Reparatory Justice and a Shared Narrative
President Mahama also announced that Ghana will host a high-level special event on reparatory justice later in the month at the United Nations. He described the trafficking and racialised enslavement of Africans as one of the gravest crimes against humanity and emphasised that calls for reparations are grounded in justice rather than charity.
He noted the importance of Africans and Caribbeans reclaiming their narrative, telling their own story based on truth and accountability. He urged both regions to speak with clarity, unity, and moral conviction as they pursue truth, reconciliation, and fairer global systems.
Turning to bilateral relations, President Mahama commended Prime Minister Drew for his leadership since taking office in 2022. He described him as a compassionate and people centred leader whose policy priorities closely align with Ghana’s own development goals.
These, according to President Mahama, include poverty alleviation, disaster response, health and wellness, education-based empowerment, and environmental sustainability.
The President said Ghana has followed with interest the progress made by the government of St Kitts and Nevis, particularly in strengthening social protection systems and building community resilience.
He reaffirmed Ghana’s readiness to collaborate through experience sharing and technical cooperation that would support the Prime Minister’s national development agenda.
Visa Free Travel and Labour Mobility
A major highlight of the visit was the announcement that Ghana and St Kitts and Nevis have agreed to extend their 2018 visa waiver agreement. Previously limited to diplomatic and service passport holders, the agreement will now include holders of ordinary passports.
“This practical and transformative step will significantly facilitate tourism, trade, business exchanges, and people-to-people connections. We will also continue discussions on structured labour mobility arrangements”.
Ghana’s President HE John Dramani Mahama
He added that discussions are ongoing on structured labour mobility arrangements. Ghana, he said, is prepared where appropriate to support St Kitts and Nevis with skilled professionals such as nurses, teachers, and other technical experts.
These arrangements, President Mahama emphasised, would be guided by mutually beneficial frameworks that strengthen capacity in both countries.
Expanding Cooperation Across Key Sectors
Beyond mobility, President Mahama outlined priority sectors for deeper cooperation. These include tourism development, climate resilience, agriculture, renewable energy, blue economy initiatives, and improved air connectivity between Africa and the Caribbean.
He argued that progress should not be delayed by unresolved structural challenges, noting that existing frameworks already provide opportunities for immediate action.
He cited the African Continental Free Trade Area as offering practical pathways to expand trade and forge investment partnerships. Ghana’s ambition, he said, is to work with St Kitts and Nevis as model partners in South-South cooperation that delivers measurable benefits to their citizens.
“Ghana recognises the vulnerabilities faced by small island developing states, especially in the context of climate change, rising sea levels, food insecurity, and external economic shocks.”
Ghana’s President HE John Dramani Mahama
He reaffirmed Ghana’s solidarity with St Kitts and Nevis in advocating for climate justice, equitable access to climate finance, and reforms of global financial institutions to better reflect the realities of developing nations.
He praised Prime Minister Drew’s leadership within CARICOM and his successful hosting of the 50th regular meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM.
The President expressed appreciation for the opportunity Ghana was given to engage CARICOM leaders and welcomed the bloc’s principled stance on reparative justice.
Prime Minister Drew on Tangible Benefits
In his remarks, Prime Minister Drew highlighted the symbolic and practical importance of reconnecting Africa and the Caribbean. He spoke of the value of direct people to people connections and questioned why citizens should rely on routes through the global North to engage with each other.
He welcomed the visa free access agreement, describing it as a decision that will significantly strengthen ties between the two countries. The Prime Minister also pointed to immediate benefits already emerging from labour cooperation, particularly in the health sector.
“There should be direct communication between Ghana or the West, and that is why I welcome today the signing of the MOU for visa-free access for ordinary citizens or citizens who own ordinary passports. This will connect us tremendously”.
Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Terrence Michael Drew
He confirmed that Ghanaian healthcare professionals have recently begun working in St Kitts and Nevis and have been well-received for their training and professionalism.
Prime Minister Drew further noted plans for cultural exchanges, including a visit by a national choir from St Kitts and Nevis to Ghana. He said discussions are also underway to facilitate student mobility, adding that such initiatives reflect a new phase in Afro Caribbean relations where cooperation delivers tangible outcomes.
Describing his visit as timely, the Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis said the current generation has a responsibility to deepen relations between Africa and the Caribbean.
He expressed confidence that the growing partnership between Ghana and St Kitts and Nevis will continue to strengthen diplomatic ties while reinforcing the emotional and ancestral bonds that unite their peoples.
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