Relations between Ghana and Mauritius began from the outset of Ghana’s independence in 1957 from colonial domination (when the latter’s first Head of State Dr. Kwame Nkrumah declared that Ghana’s independence - as the first sub-Saharan African country to attain that feat - was “meaningless unless it is linked to the total liberation of the African continent”), as one of principled fraternal support towards the attainment of Mauritius’ independence in 1968.
Subsequently, Ghana and Mauritius’s relations had been in mutually supportive collaborations on matters of converging interest especially at the multilateral levels, including the United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU) and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
Ghana and Mauritius have in recent times mainly pursued relations within the context of prospects for enhanced bilateral economic cooperation, following the earlier years of mainly political engagement. For instance, from 6th to 9th May, 2003, then Ghanaian President H.E. John Agyekum Kufuor paid an official visit to Mauritius, which was reciprocated by then President of Mauritius, H.E. Sir Anerood Jugnauth to Ghana in 2004. These visits gave a major boost to relations between the two countries.
In August, 2015, a visa waiver agreement was signed between Ghana and Mauritius, exempting nationals of both countries from acquiring visas prior to travelling to their respective territories. Thus, currently, citizens of Ghana and Mauritius enjoy bilateral 60-day visa free arrangements
In January 2016, Mrs. Elizabeth Ekpoti Knaup was appointed as Honorary-Consul of Mauritius in Ghana.
On 10th March, 2017 the First Session of the Ghana-Mauritius Permanent Joint Commission of Cooperation (PJCC) was held. At the conclusion of the PJCC deliberations, understandings were reached, inter-alia, on pursuing bilateral cooperation in the areas of: Bilateral Air Services, Tourism, Arts and Culture, Higher Education, Science, Research and Technology, and the handicrafts sector.
An Agreement for the avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income and Capital Gains between the Government of Ghana and the Government of Mauritius was signed on 11th March, 2017, with Ghanaian Foreign Minister Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey signing on behalf of the Government of Ghana and Hon. Seetanah Lutchmeenarido, GCSK, then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade signing for the Government of Mauritius.
On 12th March, 2017, the Vice President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, participated, as the Chief Guest of Honour, in Mauritius’ National Day celebrations.
In May, 2019, as concrete testament to the deepening relations with Mauritius, Ghana formally set up a Consulate-General in Port Louis, Mauritius, with the granting of related agrèment by the host that month. The first Consul-General, Dr. Robert Afriyie, subsequently took up Office in June, 2019.
On 28th August, 2019, the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Hon. Pravind Jugnauth, held bilateral consultations with H.E, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on the margins of the TICAD 7 conference, held in Tokyo, Japan, where issues of mutual national interest were discussed. Subsequently, a study was undertaken to Ghana by a Mauritian Inter-Ministerial Delegation and the International Organisation on Migration, from 9th to 12th September, 2019.
On 3rd December, 2019 Ghana and Mauritius signed a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA). Efforts are currently underway to ensure that constitutional procedures for the entry into force of the BASA are completed in both jurisdictions to enable the entry into force of the Agreement.
Other aspects of the outcome of the 1st PJCC are in various stages of implementation.
There are also many Ghanaian students studying especially at the tertiary levels in Mauritius, as well as Ghanaian professionals domiciled on the island nation and vice versa.
Ghana’s shared commitment with Mauritius to democratic principles, development of associated institutions and the rule-of-law, as well as a proven track record of decades old democratic transitions of power in the context multiparty politics have served to oil the wheels of the burgeoning bilateral relations.
Interestingly, Ghana has been ranked as the second most peaceful country in sub-Saharan Africa behind Mauritius, according to the 2021 edition of the Global Peace Index (GPI) released in mid-June 2021. Ghana was placed as 38th most peaceful country in the global ranking of 163 countries.
