A Diaspora Engagement Policy has been unveilled at the Office of the President, Jubilee House, to enable Ghana build a mutually beneficial relationship with its diaspora populations around the world.
Presenting the concept, President Akufo-Addo explained that the diaspora support is not only for remittances but also for the exchange of knowledge, skills and innovation in long-term investment for sustainable development.
Country Director-Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Dr Dirk Aßmann, affirmed: “The Diaspora is a bridge that connects us to a wealth of knowledge, skills and connections that can take Ghana to new heights of inclusive development”.
According to Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, the estimated number of Ghanaians currently living abroad ranges between 1.5 million and 3 million; and they are found in more than 33 countries worldwide.
Despite the pandemic’s impact on global economies, remittances to Ghana alone – according to the World Bank’s 2021 Migration and Development report – shot up by 5 percent to US$3.6billion; with Ghana ranking second behind Nigeria in the sub-Saharan Africa region.
Consequently, the Diaspora Engagement Policy launch will facilitate judicious use of human and material resources in the diaspora for Ghana’s socio-economic transformation.
The launch follows a series of stakeholder engagement and consultations. These efforts were led by the Diaspora Affairs Office of the President and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, supported through capacity development measures, policy advisory and peer-to-peer exchange by the programme ‘Shaping Development-oriented Migration’ (MEG), implemented by GIZ Ghana. Other partners include the International Organisation for Migration and Centre for Migration Studies, University of Ghana.
The Diaspora Engagement Policy represents a momentous milestone in the nation’s developmental trajectory, and remains an initiative that signifies the formal introduction and implementation of a comprehensive framework aimed at effectively utilising the immense economic, socio-cultural and diplomatic power embedded within Ghana’s global diaspora.
