The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, says the Government is engaged in high-level diplomatic talks with Canadian authorities following the decision to deny Black Stars midfielder Thomas Partey a temporary resident visa ahead of Ghana’s World Cup.
He made this known during a press briefing on Monday in Accra, where he responded to questions about the upcoming Next Steps Conference on Reparatory Justice, scheduled for June 17-19, 2026.
Mr Ablakwa described the decision as “rather unfortunate” and disclosed that discussions are ongoing behind closed doors to secure a resolution before Ghana’s opening match against Panama.
“Only yesterday, I held a telephone conversation with my counterpart, the Minister for Global Affairs Canada, Her Excellency Anita Anand, and we had a very frank, honest, and cordial discussion,” he added.
He stated that Ghana and Canada have maintained strong diplomatic ties for over a century and expressed hope that the matter would not harm relations between the two countries.
The Minister said Ghana acknowledges Canada’s sovereign right to determine who enters its territory, but argued that the circumstances surrounding Partey’s travel required government intervention.
He revealed that Ghana is pursuing multiple diplomatic channels to reverse the decision but declined to disclose all the measures currently being explored.
He added that Ghana is drawing on its cordial diplomatic relations with Canada and expects the ongoing negotiations to yield positive outcomes.
Mr Ablakwa noted that time is running out, with less than 48 hours before Ghana’s first match, but maintained confidence that the matter could be resolved.
He assured Ghanaians that the government was treating the matter with urgency under the instructions of President John Dramani Mahama.
“The Foreign Ministry has not taken this matter lightly; the Government of Ghana is not taking this matter lightly,” he noted.
He urged Ghanaians to continue supporting the Black Stars despite the setback and expressed confidence in the team’s performance at the tournament.
“We hope these challenges will not affect morale; the entire nation is strongly behind the team,” he said.
Joyce Adwoa Animia Ocran, ISD
