The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Foreign Affairs had a productive retreat on Monday, December 1, 2025, to discuss relevant issues and strengthen institutional cooperation to fulfill the nation’s foreign policy goals.
The Honourable Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP), the Minister for Foreign Affairs, stated in his introductory remarks that the Ministry and the Select Committee had worked together very well.
He used the opportunity to showcase some of the successes of the Ministry in the year 2025 which included:
i. the launch of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Heads of Mission to guide the discharge of their duties;
ii. the establishment of a Delivery Unit to monitor and evaluate the performance of Envoys in line with the KPIs;
iii. improvement in passport administration with the introduction of same-day service, 30%reduction in passport fees, delivery of passports by courier companies at no cost to applicants, e-tracking and “mobile passport service” to serve individuals with urgent need of the service but are unable to access Passport Application Centres due to challenges;
iv. Labour Mobility Agreements; and
v. Visa Waiver Agreements.
Additionally, he informed pertinent parties about some of the initiatives that the Ministry plans to launch in 2026, including the STRIDE Initiative, the creation of a data center, and the deployment of e-visa.
The Honorable Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, the Chairman of the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs, emphasized the friendly ties between the Ministry and the Select Committee and pledged to work with the Ministry to further foreign policy goals and facilitate the successful execution of programs and initiatives.
Hon. Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Ranking Member of the Select Committee, emphasized the significance of the Ministry’s work in promoting national development.
The Acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Her Excellency Khadija Iddrisu advised of the Ministry’s readiness to engage open dialogue with the Committee to strengthen the cooperation.
The discussion concluded with a mutual commitment to improve institutional collaboration and advance the successful implementation of the country’s foreign policy.
Source: newsthemegh.com