Home - Ghana to send more nurses to Caribbean as demand rises - Ablakwa

Ghana is expected to deploy more nurses to Antigua and Barbuda following a request by the Caribbean country for additional health workers after the successful deployment of the first batch of 120 Ghanaian nurses.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, disclosed this after holding a series of bilateral meetings with Caribbean countries on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua and Barbuda.

In a post on his X page on Thursday, November 5, 2026, Ablakwa said his meeting with Antigua and Barbuda's Foreign Affairs Minister, Everly Paul Chet Greene, focused on strengthening cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the health sector.

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He said the first group of Ghanaian nurses had made a positive impact in the country, prompting a request for more health professionals from Ghana.

“The first group of 120 nurses from Ghana are making impressive impact. Antigua has therefore requested more health workers,” he stated.

Ablakwa also announced that Ghana and Antigua and Barbuda were working towards introducing a visa waiver arrangement covering all categories of Ghanaian passport holders.

He said the arrangement was expected to facilitate travel and strengthen trade, tourism and people-to-people relations between the two countries.

“Our new Visa Waiver for all categories of passport holders is expected to bring us closer as we deepen trade, tourism and people-to-people relations,” he said.

The Foreign Affairs Minister further disclosed that Ghana and Jamaica were preparing to strengthen maritime cooperation through a Port Cooperation Agreement involving the Tema Port and the Port of Kingston.

According to him, the agreement was ready and would enable the two ports to collaborate in areas such as shipping, trade, logistics and job creation.

“The Tema Port and the Port of Kingston are expected to have a comprehensive collaboration to boost trade, logistics, maritime cooperation and job creation,” he noted.

He also revealed that another group of Ghanaian nurses had arrived in Jamaica under a labour mobility programme agreed between the two countries last year.

The programme provides opportunities for Ghanaian health workers to secure employment in Jamaica.

In another engagement, Ablakwa met Trinidad and Tobago's Foreign Affairs Minister, Sean S.M. Sobers, to discuss investment opportunities and ways to expand cooperation in the oil and gas industry.

He said Ghana was preparing to open a new High Commission in Trinidad and Tobago next year to strengthen diplomatic and economic relations.

The minister added that Ghana was finalising air services agreements with its Caribbean partners to facilitate direct flights between Ghana and the region.

“We are finalizing air services agreements with our Caribbean friends to work out direct flight arrangements between Ghana and the Caribbean when the ongoing revival of Ghana Airways is completed,” he stated.

Beyond his engagements with Caribbean countries, Ablakwa also held discussions with Australia's Assistant Secretary for Multilateral Peace, Security and Candidacies, James Buttigieg.

The meeting focused on areas of shared interest, including Australia's bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Ablakwa said Ghana was also strengthening relations with international partners ahead of its expected chairmanship of the African Union next year.

He said one of the country's priorities would be to push for reforms at the United Nations to secure permanent representation for Africa on the Security Council.

“As Chair of the African Union next year, we are forging closer ties with international allies to advance Africa's case for UN reforms as we ensure Africa is permanently represented on the UN Security Council,” he said.

He added that Ghana would also advocate reforms in the international financial system, proper regulation of artificial intelligence, climate justice, resource sovereignty, reparatory justice and conflict resolution.

The engagements form part of Ghana's efforts to strengthen international partnerships and expand opportunities in healthcare, trade, tourism, aviation and investment.

ANAS/MA

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