Ghana and Malawi are taking new steps to strengthen their decades-old partnership, with both countries signaling support for a future where Africans can travel freely across the continent.
A Ghanaian delegation met with Malawi's Minister of Foreign Affairs George Tapatula Chaponda and his team in Lilongwe to discuss efforts to remove visa barriers between African countries. Officials at the meeting said both sides shared a strong commitment to building a more united Africa that prioritizes open borders and greater trade between its people.
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Relations between the two states are rooted in history. During the independence era, Kwame Nkrumah invited Hastings Kamuzu Banda to Ghana in 1953 to practice medicine and take part in the liberation march of the continent. Banda later became the first President of Malawi. That early partnership helped shape a bond that has endured for generations.
Today relations remain close. Malawi's newly appointed Vice President Jane Ansah has married Ghana's Bishop Joseph Addo Ansah, marking a personal relationship that supports diplomatic relations.
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The Lilongwe talks focused on how easier travel can boost trade, tourism and people-to-people exchanges. Proponents of the initiative argue that removing visa restrictions between African states would help unlock economic opportunity, reduce bureaucracy, and foster a stronger shared identity.
This effort is in line with the broader African Union agenda to promote regional integration. Supporters say Ghana and Malawi's demonstration of cooperation could encourage other countries to follow.
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Both sides left the meeting calling it meaningful and visionary. Further work will continue at the technical and political level, as both governments explore practical steps towards achieving a visa-free system that they hope will serve as a model for the continent.
