Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced the government of Germany's willingness to sign a labour mobility agreement with Ghana to allow thousands of youth to be employed abroad under a special bilateral agreement.

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In a statement on Facebook, the minister noted that the agreement, which is currently under discussion, will guarantee "safe, rewarding and dignified employment."

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"We expect actual implementation soon," Mr Ablakwa added while remarking on the government's belief in meaningful and impactful diplomacy.

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The Foreign Minister engaged German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, Mr. Joachim Stamp, the Special Representative of the Federal Government for Migration Agreements, and top officials of the German Interior Ministry on the margins of the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial ongoing in Berlin.

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In April, Minister for Employment and Labor Relations Dr. Rashid Pelpuo made mention of work ongoing between his outfit and the Foreign Ministry to craft a strategy to export skilled Ghanaian labour to countries requiring workers to curb the rising unemployment.

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"Beyond the domestic set, what we can do to tackle unemployment is to look at how we can export Ghanaian labour to places that require our labour force," he said in an interview on Joy FM.

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He added: "What I am working on is to get the foreign minister to sign bilateral relations with all the countries needing Ghanaian labour, and I will sign agreements with companies that want to export the labour."

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Fitch projects that the unemployment rate in Ghana in 2025 will remain at an average of 4.0% of the labour force.

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Ghana seeks to join other countries, including Kenya, that have such deals with Germany.

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Kenya-Germany's agreement

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The two countries established a joint multi-agency techical committee to develop a roadmap for negotiating the labour mobility agreement.

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Kenya submitted a draft model bilateral labour agreement in July 2023 and in February 2024, Germany presented a comprehensive migration and mobility partnership proposal. In May, an agreement in principle on the final text, in accordance with international standards was culminated.

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Subsequently, the agreement compassing skills development, social protection and rights for Kenyan migrant workers was signed in September in Berlin.

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UAE jobs for Ghanaians

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The Foreign Minister has noted that massive job openings in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will soon be announced for the Ghanaian youth when both countries finalize the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) negotiations.

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There are discussions ongoing for labour export for Ghanaian youth to the UAE and technical support for a new national airline.

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On May 13, Mr Ablakwa revealed that UAE companies will be arriving in Ghana over the next few weeks to invest in sectors such as renewable energy, AI, education, health, aviation, and defense.

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He made this known after honouring a special invitation from the government of the United Arab Emirates to pay a two-day official visit to the country.

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United Arab Emirates companies will be arriving in Ghana over the next few weeks to invest in sectors such as renewable energy, AI, education, health, aviation, and defense.

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