Ablakwa: Cabinet has approved diplomatic agreement between Ghana and Holy See

On Friday, October 09, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, hosted Archbishop Julien Kaboré, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana.

The purpose of the meeting was to convey good news to the revered country representative of the Supreme Pontiff, Pope Leo XIV.

Mr Ablakwa disclosed to Archbishop Julien Kaboré that Cabinet has approved the Host Country Agreement between the Government of Ghana and the Holy See.

Since establishing formal diplomatic relations with the Holy See leading to the arrival of the first Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana in 1976, this Host Country Agreement has been pending, he said.

The Host Country Agreement which is consistent with the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, outlines the terms of our relationship with the Holy See and confers special rights, privileges and immunities on holders of Ecclesiastical Office and the Catholic Faithful in Ghana.

Mr Ablakwa indicated that he was delighted that the Government and the Apostolic Nunciature successfully worked together to resolve this longstanding matter.

"I commend colleagues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for diligently working to meet the target I set for this all-important agreement. I must convey appreciation to President John Mahama and the Attorney-General for their personal incredible commitment to this process," he wrote on X.

This cabinet approval paves way for Parliament to ratify the agreement under Article 75 of the 1992 Constitution within the next few weeks.

"Ghana will eternally be grateful to the Catholic Church for the extraordinary and monumental contributions to our nation’s moral compass, and transformative development projects in multiple sectors, particularly, in education and health where thousands of institutions have been built to shape the destiny of our country," Ablakwa said.