GIZ Ghana supports multi-stakeholder dialogue on Ghana’s diaspora engagement policy

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Ghana, through its Programme Migration & Diaspora, and commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation & Development (BMZ), has supported a four-day multi-stakeholder dialogue on the Diaspora Engagement Policy of Ghana.

The Policy, which has been in the offing since 2015, drew close to 100 stakeholders from state and non-state institutions to the Eastern Region of Ghana, to further validate and finalise the policy for submission to Cabinet for approval.

The Diaspora Engagement Policy is being led by the Diaspora Affairs, Office of the President and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.

Amongst other policy objectives, the Diaspora Engagement Policy is to promote capacity-building and enhancement of diaspora-homeland relationship for the mutual benefit of both parties.

This will enhance the capacity of Ghanaians resident abroad to effectively participate in national development, in a structured way, through the channeling of their skills and knowledge, remittances to foster entrepreneurships, support innovation, and develop priority sectors of the economy.

The policy also aims at facilitating a mutually beneficial relationship between Ghana and its diaspora population, which includes Ghanaians who have emigrated and are resident outside Ghana; Ghanaians born to Ghanaian parents living outside Ghana described as the second and third generation migrants; the youth (who migrated from Ghana or born abroad); African Americans and all persons of African descent who have historical and cultural ties with Ghana and also have interest in Ghana’s development.

Mr. Akwasi Awua Ababio, Director, Diaspora Affairs, Office of the President (DAOOP) in his opening remarks expressed his profound appreciation to the state and non-state stakeholders for their interest and support over the years in the formulation of a holistic and coherent national policy to engage Ghanaians in the diaspora for national development. He further expressed his gratitude to the GIZ Ghana Programme Migration & Diaspora, working on behalf of the German Government for the enormous support towards the realization of Ghana’s aspiration for Diaspora Engagement Policy.

The Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Hon. Thomas Mbomba (MP), speaking on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, said “the Ghanaian diaspora has been contributing immensely to the socio-economic development of the country.”

He added that “in addition to annual financial remittances into the country, the return of highly skilled migrants with specialized knowledge and skills also help to improve research and development programs in the home country. These migrants may include, among others, those who obtain additional education abroad and return home. Some migrants also return home after years abroad with ideas on governance and nation building that they pick up while abroad. These skills and ideas picked abroad and adopted in the host countries are very common in developing countries where most political leaders had some form of education abroad. It is in recognition of the immense contributions of the Ghanaian diaspora to the country’s development that the Government of Ghana (GOG) has, over the years embarked on initiatives to engage the Ghanaian Diaspora.”

Country Director of GIZ Ghana, Regina Bauerochse Barbosa said, “I believe this unique gathering of relevant stakeholders would fuel the goal of bringing some further finality to the Diaspora Engagement Policy of Ghana; a policy which, when hopefully receive Cabinet approval, should engage Ghanaian diaspora in a more holistic way.” She remarked that “the objectives of the policy are laudable goals; I would say that when fully realised, would bring out a giant step in harnessing the potentials of migration and diaspora engagement for sustainable development.”

The Diaspora Engagement Policy of Ghana is expected to be a big game-changer when it’s finally given the green light by Cabinet. The well participated multi-stakeholder dialogue created the relevant platform for policy actors to vividly discuss the policy draft with the intention of finalizing it towards cabinet approval.