By Alex Ababio
In a bold new approach to tackling irregular migration and Europe’s skilled labour shortage, President John Mahama has announced Ghana’s plans to formalise the export of skilled labour to European Union (EU) countries through a structured bilateral agreement.
The initiative, which is currently in the discussion phase, aims to open legal and regulated job channels for Ghanaians into EU economies. It was announced during the 2025 Ghana-EU Partnership Dialogue held yesterday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Accra.
According to President Mahama, the proposed agreement will prioritise key sectors such as agriculture, construction, and healthcare — areas where Europe faces severe workforce gaps.
“This isn’t about brain drain – it’s about creating safe and regulated pathways that will benefit both continents,” he stated, highlighting the dual purpose of the initiative: addressing Europe’s labour needs while preventing unsafe migration attempts.
The President also emphasised the importance of fair labour conditions and the mutual recognition of professional qualifications to ensure a balanced and beneficial arrangement for both Ghana and its European partners.
This policy shift comes in the wake of recurring tragedies where many young West Africans, including Ghanaians, perish attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea in search of better opportunities.
High-Level Engagement
Present at the dialogue were top Ghanaian officials including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa; Minister of Defence, Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah; Minister for the Interior, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka; and Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu.
They were joined by the EU Ambassador to Ghana, Irchad Razaaly, and ambassadors from various EU member states, among other dignitaries.
Economic Outlook and Investment Drive
President Mahama took the opportunity to share Ghana’s improving economic trajectory, stating that prudent fiscal discipline, improved revenue generation, and expenditure controls were beginning to bear fruit. He pointed to the country’s recent credit rating upgrade to B-minus with a stable outlook by a fixed-rate exchange agency as a sign of growing investor confidence.
He acknowledged the EU’s support in areas such as public financial management, tax reforms, and anti-corruption efforts, which he said were essential pillars of long-term economic resilience.
To boost private sector participation, the President outlined several reforms, including the introduction of a unified licensing system, a structured public-private dialogue mechanism, and the implementation of a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) regime to ease business operations.
He called on EU companies to take advantage of Ghana’s stable business environment, urging investments in agribusiness, manufacturing, and digital technology.
Security and Defence Collaboration
Touching on regional security, President Mahama warned of the increasing threat of violent extremism in West Africa and called for enhanced EU-Ghana cooperation in the defence sector.
He proposed that the collaboration go beyond traditional military assistance to include modern, tech-driven security initiatives.
In the same vein, the President shared his optimism about leveraging the EU-backed Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) to expand Ghana’s renewable energy capacity — particularly in solar, wind, and green hydrogen.
Ghana’s leadership in sustainable forestry was also highlighted, with President Mahama noting that the country was the first in Africa to issue a Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licence. He also touched on reforms underway in Ghana’s fisheries sector to address EU concerns over the issuance of a Yellow Card.
Calls for Academic Reform and Climate Financing
Foreign Affairs Minister Ablakwa, speaking at the event, revealed that Ghana was advocating for reforms to the EU’s Erasmus Mundus scholarship programme. The country wants to increase access to opportunities in science and technology fields, which he noted were underrepresented in the current scholarship awards.
While Ghana ranks among Africa’s top recipients of the programme — with 72 per cent of scholarships awarded — most are for non-technical disciplines.
Minister Ablakwa also cited immediate priorities such as obtaining EU support to evacuate Ghanaian nationals from conflict zones in Israel and Iran, enhancing intelligence-sharing for regional security, and accessing climate finance through the carbon market.
Ties Growing Stronger
EU Ambassador Irchad Razaaly reaffirmed the strength of EU-Ghana relations, describing the bond as “stronger than ever.”
She noted the diplomatic attention Ghana has received, stating, “The first foreign leader to pay tribute to President Mahama after his election was the Czech President,” and went on to mention visits from high-ranking officials such as the Belgian and Austrian Foreign Ministers, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Ambassador Razaaly outlined three main areas of continued partnership, one of which is economic transformation. She highlighted a €55 million investment in vaccine production in Ghana as a flagship example of EU commitment.