Ghana has expressed its readiness to strengthen dialogue with the European Union on structured labour migration, with President John Dramani Mahama emphasizing the country’s capacity to contribute to addressing workforce shortages in key EU sectors such as healthcare, construction, and agriculture.
“We encourage collaboration on mutual recognition of qualifications and fair labour standards to build a win-win framework that aligns Ghana’s democratic potential with Europe’s labour needs,”
President Mahama stated during the opening of the Ghana-EU Partnership Dialogue held in Accra.
The Ghana-EU Partnership Dialogue serves as a platform for high-level engagement on shared priorities including trade, development cooperation, security, governance, and climate change. The 2025 edition of the dialogue brought together ambassadors from all 10 EU member states represented in Ghana and over 10 Ghanaian Ministers of State.
On the topic of migration, governance, and labour mobility, President Mahama praised the current partnership with the EU, describing it as exemplary. He pointed to the ATUU Project, launched in March 2025 with EU backing, as a key initiative aimed at promoting safe, humane, and development-focused migration.
“We are enhancing reintegration services, data systems, and community resilience through the national coordinating mechanism and establishing a national referral platform,”
the President added.
He also highlighted the Ghana Labour Export Programme, which is designed to promote safe labour migration and deter the dangerous Sahara and Mediterranean routes that many young people risk taking in pursuit of opportunities abroad.
EU Ambassador to Ghana, Mr. Irchad Razaaly, reiterated the EU’s commitment to a rules-based international order and praised Ghana’s global leadership role.
“I would like to acknowledge the constructive role that Ghana has played at the UN Security Council during its being and as a current member of the Human Rights Council,”
Razaaly said.
“I would like to acknowledge as well Ghana’s unwavering support to increase territorial integrity and sovereignty in the face of the racial migration.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Mr. Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa stressed the importance of accelerating joint efforts in climate action and green development to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
He noted that Ghana’s initiatives in renewable energy and environmental preservation have received vital support from the EU. However, he emphasized the need for continued EU assistance in unlocking access to climate finance, green funds, and carbon market resources.
“Ghana needs the EU’s further support to unlock climate and green funds, as well as funding from the carbon market to enhance growth and environmental sustainability,”
Ablakwa concluded.
