Ghana To Launch Diaspora Consular Fund For Citizens In Distress Abroad

Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs will soon establish a Diaspora Consular Fund to provide emergency support for Ghanaian citizens facing distress or crises overseas, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced.

The fund is designed as a rapid-response mechanism to enable the government to quickly mobilize resources and assist Ghanaians whose safety and welfare are at risk in any part of the world.

“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.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting its citizens abroad, stating that authorities will continue to take “timely and decisive action” whenever the safety and security of Ghanaians are threatened.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of recent challenges faced by the Ghanaian diaspora. The government recently spent GH¢49.7 million to evacuate 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa following xenophobic attacks.

The new fund aims to strengthen Ghana’s capacity to respond more effectively to such emergencies in the future. Officials indicated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will roll out the initiative in the near term.