THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
Ghana has opened a new dedicated facility in Berlin for the delivery of improved consular services to its citizens and non-citizens planning to visit the West African country in Germany.
The Premium Application Centre (PAC) for Visas and Passports should help in providing better services to Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians in Germany and aims to enhance the existing consular services offered by the Embassy in Berlin and the Consulate in Hamburg.
The Berlin PAC, which was officially opened recently by Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, is the second of its kind, following the successful launch of a similar facility in London in 2022.
Mr Ampratwum-Sarpong, speaking at the opening ceremony, said the PAC represents a significant step by the ministry to bring passport and visa services delivery closer to all Ghanaians and foreign visitors.
“It promises a more efficient and comprehensive process for passport and visa application, providing a streamlined experience for compatriots and applicants of other nationalities,” he said.
“It is heartwarming to note that this month of November 2023 marks the first anniversary of the opening of the London PAC; and I am happy to say that the commendable services provided by the PAC over the past year and the lessons learnt in the process contributed largely towards the decision to proceed with the existing plan of gradually opening more Premium Centres to complement the services of selected Ghana Embassies and Consulates,” he added.
The PAC initiative is a collaboration between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and Access Group, under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
Ghana’s Ambassador to Germany, Gina Blay, in her remarks, expressed profound appreciation to Mr Ampratwum-Sarpong for his untiring efforts in establishing the PAC in Berlin and encouraged the Ghanaian community in Germany to patronise its services.
She noted that the establishment of the PAC would enable the embassy to concentrate on the back-end aspect of the application process, adding this would facilitate the processing of more applications.
Access Group CEO, Nidal Kamouni, emphasised that the partnership aims to enhance the application experience for passports and visas, thereby reducing the workload on the embassy and allowing it to focus more on the decision-making processes.
Sola Jolaoso
Premium Application Centre for Visas and Passports
Stresemannstraße 78, 10963 Berlin
Email: info@ghanapacde.com
Website: www.ghanapacde.com
