Cabinet Approves Long-Awaited Host Country Agreement Between Ghana and the Holy See

The Cabinet of Ghana has officially approved the Host Country Agreement between the Republic of Ghana and the Holy See. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced the milestone on Friday, 9th October 2026, during a meeting with Archbishop Julien Kaboré, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana and country representative of the Supreme Pontiff, Pope Leo XIV. The meeting provided an avenue to convey the high-level decision to the diplomatic envoy, formalizing a framework that has been pending since the establishment of full diplomatic relations and the arrival of the first Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana in 1976. 

​Aligned with the principles of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the Host Country Agreement clearly outlines the formal parameters governing Ghana's diplomatic partnership with the Holy See. Under its provisions, holders of Ecclesiastical Office and members of the Catholic Faithful in Ghana are conferred specific rights, privileges, and immunities. The resolution of this decades-old matter represents a major diplomat diplomatic achievement for both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Apostolic Nunciature, which collaborated closely to fulfill the operational targets set for the agreement.

​Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa commended the dedicated staff at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their diligence in bringing the process to fruition. He also extended special gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama and the Attorney-General, Dr. Dominic Ayine, for their steadfast personal leadership and commitment to finalizing the agreement. With Cabinet approval secured, the text now advances to Parliament, where lawmakers are expected to ratify the accord under Article 75 of the 1992 Constitution in the coming weeks. 

​Beyond formalizing diplomatic privileges, the agreement highlights the enduring partnership between the West African nation and the Catholic Church. Foreign Minister Ablakwa emphasized Ghana’s deep gratitude for the Church’s monumental contributions to national development, particularly its foundational role in building thousands of educational and healthcare facilities that continue to shape the social and moral fabric of the country. 

@Volta Today