By Hannah Dadzie
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to establish a Ghanaian Diaspora Consular Fund to provide dedicated emergency financing for Ghanaians facing distress and crisis situations abroad.
Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced the initiative at a media briefing in Accra following the conclusion of government’s evacuation of nearly two thousand Ghanaians from South Africa.
The proposed fund is expected to enable the government to swiftly mobilise resources to protect and assist Ghanaian citizens caught up in emergencies outside the country.
“I wish to announce that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will soon launch a Ghanaian Diaspora Consular Fund which will serve as an emergency response funding mechanism to swiftly take care of Ghanaians in distress and during crisis situations anywhere in the world,” Mr Ablakwa said.
The announcement comes as government disclosed the increasing financial and logistical burden associated with rescuing and repatriating Ghanaians from difficult situations across the world.
According to the Minister, apart from the recent evacuation exercise from South Africa, a total of 4,972 Ghanaians have been repatriated to Ghana from various countries since 2025.
The figure includes 3,807 Ghanaians repatriated from Libya, 440 from Côte d’Ivoire, 246 from Nigeria, 244 from Cambodia and 201 from Algeria, among others.
Mr Ablakwa said the recurring operations underscore the need for a sustainable source of emergency funding to enable the country to respond promptly when its citizens require assistance abroad.
“This is precisely why it has become imperative to establish the Ghanaian Diaspora Consular Fund,” he said, adding that the initiative would provide “a dedicated and sustainable emergency funding mechanism” to safeguard the rights, dignity and welfare of Ghanaians overseas.
The Minister reiterated government’s commitment to protecting Ghanaian citizens wherever they may be, stressing that timely intervention would remain a priority whenever their safety and security are threatened.
The announcement followed the conclusion of a four-month evacuation exercise which saw 1,964 Ghanaians voluntarily return home from South Africa following xenophobic attacks and intimidation against foreign nationals.
