Accra, Ghana – From 25 to 27 November 2019, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) facilitated the visit of a delegation from the Government of the Republic of Seychelles to exchange good practices on diaspora engagement, remittances and labour migration with representatives from the Government of Ghana and other stakeholders.  

The Seychellois delegation met with Hon. Bright Wireko-Brobby, Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations; Hon. Charles Owiredu, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (MFARI); Mr Akwasi Awua Ababio, Director of the Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President; Mr Ernest Amporful, Director of the Diaspora Affairs Office at MFARI; as well as the Centre for Migration Studies, Bank of Ghana, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, and the remittances company Zeepay.

Leveraging the diaspora’s social, cultural, financial and human capitals for national development is a common goal of both governments. Drawing on its long-standing experience, IOM in both the Seychelles and in Ghana supports the respective government to enable, engage and empower transnational communities as agents for development through policy advice and programming.

“Through this study visit, the Seychelles’ delegation benefitted from the mature diaspora engagement of the Republic of Ghana, which we hope will inform their own diaspora strategies back home. IOM remains committed to support the Government of Seychelles in devising diaspora initiatives to encourage the diaspora’s contribution to the country’s development,” said Céline Lemmel, IOM Head of Office for Mauritius and Seychelles.   

IOM supported to facilitate the reciprocal visit to further enhance the understanding of the Seychellois labour environment as part of the labour mobility programme between Ghana and Seychelles. The study visit further promoted and strengthened south-south cooperation and partnership across the two regions of the African continent, thereby fostering regional integration as stipulated in the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063.

The Seychellois delegation was comprised of seven officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs; Ministry of Employment, Immigration and Civil Status; Department of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development; Department of Legal Affairs; Ministry of Finance, Trade, Investment and Economic Planning and the National Bureau of Statistics. In addition, IOM representatives from Mauritius and the Regional Office based in Pretoria, South Africa, were present. 

For further information about the study visit, 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: +2302104250, Email: clemmel@iom.int