Cairo, Egypt, 29 October 2024 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with the Government of Ghana conducted a capacity building workshop on labour migration governance and ethical recruitment practices for Ghanaian consular and diaspora desk officers based in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This training workshop was made possible through the support of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (MFARI) and of Employment and Labour Relations of Ghana (MELR) and funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

An increasing number of migrants from the West Africa region move to different destinations in the Middle East and North Africa in search of better economic opportunities. However, despite the economic benefits of migration, some labour migrants, including those from Ghana, are highly vulnerable to unethical recruitment practices. The latter include deception about job conditions, confiscation of passports, or the imposition of high recruitment fees, which often lead to situations of debt bondage. As a result, the Government of Ghana has put in place a ban on labour migration to the Gulf since 2017. It is estimated that over 200,000 Ghanaians are engaged in irregular migration each year, many of whom are exploited by unscrupulous recruitment agents and traffickers.

“The exploitation of these persons by agents or facilitators as well as their ill-treatment at their various workplaces, is a matter of concern that must be addressed holistically.  It is for this reason that the National Labour Migration Policy and the Diaspora Engagement Policy have been introduced to serve as a guide for the relevant officials in the discharge of their duties,” highlighted His Excellency LT Gen Obed Boamah Akwa (RTD), Ghana’s Ambassador to Egypt, during his opening address.

During the training workshop, various issues including legal and policy frameworks of labour migration governance and ethical recruitment practices in Ghana and the MENA region were extensively discussed. The platform also allowed exchanges on the roles and responsibilities of consular missions in providing information, guidance, and assistance to migrant workers and their families, as well as facilitating dialogue and cooperation between host governments, employers, and civil society organizations.

In her introductory remarks, Ms. Naomi Shiferaw, Sr. Regional Labour Migration & Migration Development Specialist at the IOM Regional Office for West and Central Africa, outlined IOM's three strategic priorities for 2024–2028: saving lives and protecting people on the move; finding solutions to displacement; and facilitating regular migration pathways. To establish, expand and enhance regular migration pathways, Ms. Shiferaw emphasised the essential role of different stakeholders, notably consular and diaspora officers in this regard.

Through a combination of presentations, case studies, group discussions, and role play, participants identified best practices and challenges confronting consular officers in providing protection for migrant workers. Recommendations from this discussion are to inform policy design and future interventions in this area.

Ms. Gloria Noi, Director for Policy Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation at the Ministry for Employment and Labour Relations, praised IOM's initiative in her closing remarks. She highlighted that the workshop's recommendations, such as appointing regional labour attaches and creating standard operating procedures for consular officers to address unethical recruitment, will improve labour migration management in Ghana.

The three-day training, which took place in Cairo, Egypt, from 22 to 24 October, was implemented through the project “Improving Labour Migration Governance and Ethical Recruitment Practices in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria,” which aims to enhance migrant workers’ protection and promote rights-based regular pathways for labour migrants. Participants included Ghanaian consular officials based in Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Libya. Also in attendance were Officers from the MELR and MFARI, the International Labour Organization, the IOM Senior Regional Labour Mobility Specialist and Human Development Specialist for West and Central Africa and for the MENA region, based in Cairo.

For further information please contact Mr. Eric Akomanyi, Project Manager at IOM Ghana, via email at eakomanyi@iom.int.