Accra – From 9 to 11 September 2019, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) facilitated the visit of a delegation from the Government of Mauritius (GoM) to exchange good practices on diaspora engagement, remittances and labour migration with representatives from the Government of Ghana (GoG) and other stakeholders.

The Mauritian delegation met with H.E. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President of the Republic of Ghana; Hon. Ignatius Baffour Awuah, Minister of Employment and Labour Relations; Hon. Charles Owiredu, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration; and Ms. Nadia Adongo Musah, Deputy Director of the Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President; representatives of the Ministry of Finance; as well as from the Ghana Statistical Service, Centre for Migration Studies, Bank of Ghana, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, and the remittances company Zeepay.

The GoM and GoG had committed to enhancing their collaboration during a meeting of the Mauritius-Ghana Permanent Joint Commission on bilateral cooperation in March 2017 in Mauritius. This visit catalyzes this strategic partnership between the two countries through South-South cooperation relationship.

Leveraging the diaspora’s social, cultural, financial and human capitals for national development is a common goal of both governments. It is in this framework that IOM Ghana supports its counterparts in Mauritius in their partnership with the GoM, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade (MFA) and other stakeholders on the “Building the Capacity of the Mauritian Government to Strengthen Linkages with the Mauritian Diaspora” project, funded by the IOM Development Fund (IDF). 

The Mauritian delegation was comprised of seven officials from the Prime Minister’s Office; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade; Economic Development Board; Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations, Employment and Training; Statistics Mauritius; Passport and Immigration Office; and Academia. In addition, IOM representatives from Mauritius and the Regional Office based in Pretoria, South Africa, were present. 

“Participants gained important insights from their Ghanaian counterparts on diaspora engagement, remittances, and labour mobility, amongst others. IOM continues to support the Mauritian Government in implementing its own programmes to harness the positive impacts of diaspora engagement for Mauritius’ development,” said Charles Allan Kwenin, IOM Regional Director for Southern Africa. 

The study visit is a prime example of south-south cooperation and strengthens a partnership which spans across two regions of the African continent, thereby fostering regional integration as stipulated in the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063.

For more information, please contact Eric Kwame Akomanyi (Project Assistant) at IOM Ghana, Tel: +233302742930, Email: eakomanyi@iom.int, or Céline Lemmel (Head of Office) at IOM Mauritius, Tel: +2104250, Email: clemmel@iom.int