The conventional thinking that migration undermines prospects for economic development and yields a state of stagnation and dependency has changed following a decade of re-appraisal of the migration-development nexus.Since 2006 United Nations reports have indicated that international migration constitutes an ideal means of promoting development, that is, the coordinated or concerted improvement of economic conditions in both origin and destination countries based on the complementarities between them.

In spite of this, international migration has grown in scope, complexity and impact. Approximately 1 billion of the world’s 7billion peoples are migrants. Some 214 million are international migrants. Another 740 million are internal migrants. South-to-South migration is now just as important in volume as South-to-North migration. North-to-South migration is also becoming a growing phenomenon. Human mobility has, therefore, become one of the defining features of today’s globalized world causing three factors of production – labour, capital and entrepreneurshipto traverse national borders. Such factors of production can no longer be barred from crossing national borders; making migration a phenomenon that can only be properly managed for a win-win-win situation. A poorly managed migration only place migrants vulnerable state with negative consequences for the sending and receiving states.

Migrants bring home significant remittances, acquired skills in destination countries with significant benefits for home countries and as useful source of technological transfer, and innovative ideas for national development. Other migrants acquire financial resources for sole and joint investment. The remittances of migrants have made a difference to recipients in home countries in fighting poverty, disease as well as the provision of education.

In 2013, global remittances stood at USD $549 billion (this figure is only remittances sent through the formal channels). This amount was much more than the combined value of both Overseas Development Assistance and Foreign Direct Investment that were attracted into developing countries. An estimated 30 million migrants sent cross border remittances worth $60 billion to recipients in Africa and this benefitted 120 million residents who were family members or dependants.

It is for these reasons that Regional bodies in Africa, state and non-state actors, have shown much interest in the management of migration for development, not only because of the benefits of remittances, but also due to access to knowledge, expertise and professional competence through practical attachment or experiences gained from the world of work.

With increasing recognition of the potential of migration for stimulating development in countries of origin, the role of the Diaspora in development processes is being highlighted at the international, regional and national levels. Efforts are being deployed in incorporating migration and development in the post 2015 Development Agenda. The African Union and the ECOWAS Commision have both emphasised the relevance of the Diaspora in continental and national development.

On account of their solid social and cultural ties with their home-towns,the Ghanaian diaspora, made up of individuals and members of Ghanaian networks,
associations and communities as well as peoples of African descent, has a strong attachment to Ghana and maintain links with Ghana.

Recognizing the contributions of the diaspora, successive governments have made efforts to enhance their participation in national development, but such efforts have not been structured and systematic.

In an era of globalization and hightened competitiveness in the pursuit of national interests, no nation can develop effectively without implementing a clear strategy that seeks to harness the potentials of a majority of its human resource including its diaspora and those who consider that country as a homeland.Global economic events begining in 2008 have continued to shrink capital for development financing and budget support for developing countries. In addition, Ghana’s new status as a middle income country at the lower echelon, has resulted in reduced, limited donor support on account of the principle of differentiation.

Leveraging on the multiple roles of the Diaspora as senders of remittances, investors, philanthropists, innovators, exportable labourand first movers in the growth of important sectors such as tourism, health and in the development of human capital, may well contribute to weaning Ghana off its dependenceon aid and development financing which are waning from developed countries.

Ghanaians at home and abroad and those with whom we share common ancestry are the single most important assets of this country. The collective ability to effectively harness our human resources and capital, both at home and abroad, for national development is, therefore, the key to our advancement as a nation. Establishing close and productive partnerships with the Ghanaian Diasporaand peoples of African descent with whom we have common ownershipof this country,will no doubt innure to our common good.

Ghana‘s development vision, as clearly articulated in the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (2010-2013), is to lift as many Ghanaians as possible out of poverty in the shortest possible time through a structural transformation of the economy.

The main purpose of the Diaspora engagement is to enhance the capacity of Ghanaians resident abroad to effectively participate in national development in a structured way through the channelling of their remittances to fosterentrepreneurships, support innovation, and develop priority sectors of the economy. Also, the Diaspora can advance our development agenda through the use of their knowledge and skills to fill resources and knowledge gaps, as partners, and also as members and leaders of scientific and technical networks in Ghana. Throughout the struggle for independence and the establishment of an administrative foundation for Ghana, the country had depended largely on the Ghanaian Diaspora and peoples of African descent. Over the years, we have also witnessed the resourcefulness of the Ghanaian Diaspora in critical sectors of the economy. Nevetheless, there is more to achieve if we are to optimise gains from a structured engagement with our compatroits abroad.

The available statistics do not provide an exact picture of the volume and magnitude of Ghanaian emigration. Estimates from Ghana Missions abroad indicate that Ghanaian migrants reside in more than 53 countries around the world, the majority being English-speaking. Estimates from the World Bank point to 1.7 million Ghanaians residing abroad, representing 7.6% of the total population. According to census-based data (census around 2000), the number of Ghanaians residing abroad was 957,883, which represent approximately 4.6% of the total population. Other estimates point to 3 million Ghanaians residing abroad.

ECOWAS countries represent the main destination countries for Ghanaian emigrantsin the African continent, although Ghanaians are increasingly involved in international migration outside Africa. Neighbouring countries (Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso) harbour about 55% of the total number of Ghanaian emigrants. South Africa and Sierra Leone are other important destination countries for Ghanaians in the African continent.

Outside the African continent, the UK, the USA, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, France and increasingly Italy and Spain, are major countries of destination of Ghanaian nationals abroad. Due to linguistic ties, Ghanaians migrate mostly to English-speaking countries.

For effective Diaspora Enagaement through evidence based policies, it is imperative to study closely information on the Ghanaian Polulation abroad.

The diaspora engagement process includes identifying engagement goals, mapping diaspora geography and skills, creating a relationship of trust between the Ghanaian diaspora and governments of both Ghana and destination countries, and, ultimately, mobilizing the diaspora to contribute to sustainable development. For a country to harvest enormous dividends from international migration, it has to guarantee the protection of its citizens abroad. This is why the promotion and protection of the interests and welfare of Ghanaians abroad is a cardinal objective of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and by extension, Ghana’s Missions abroad.

The goals of diaspora engagement are as follows:

1. Inform the Ghanaian diaspora about government’s social and economic development initiatives, all major documents prepared by Government and the general situation in the country through the Diaspora Affairs Website in order for those who wish to be more directly engaged in activities in Ghana to do so (ghanaiandiaspora.com);

2. Ensure an objective understanding of the development challenges at home for their intervention;

3. Ensure that the inputs of the Ghanaian diaspora strengthen and impact on policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation;

4. Establish links between the Ghanaian diaspora and MDA’s, particularly, in sectors yearning for private participation; and

5. Ensure that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration will be the right advocate of the Ghanaian diaspora and the rest of government.

6. Mobilize Ghanaian professionals globally for increased opportunities for brain gain.

7. Promote collaboration between the diaspora including Ghanaian professionals abroad on one hand and Ghanaian institutions in the country on the other hand to strengthen partnership for experience, knowledge and skills transfer.

8. Ensure compilation and maintenance of up-to-date and holistic data on qualified human resource needs of institutions in the country as well as data on available professional and technical resources within the diaspora communities.

9. Facilitate increased coordination and challenging of available intellectual and technical resources from the Ghanaian diaspora and peoples of African descent to contribute to institutional capacity building.

10. Assist local institutions to improve their efficiency in accessing and utilizing Diasporas intellectual and technical resources to meet their developmental goals.

11. Harness the financial resources of the Ghanaian Diaspora for investments in crucial sectors of the economy.

12. Attract Diaspora philanthropic contributions by deploying three strategies to leverage on philanthropic contributions from the diaspora: i.e. engaging individuals, organizations, and pooling funds from Diaspora donor communities for long term investment purposes.

1. Map diaspora geography and skills to determine specific engagement models for particular locations;

2. Create a relationship of trust between the Ghanaian diaspora on one hand and governments of Ghana and destination countries on the other;

3. Ensure the creation of structures in Ghana that will facilitate the participation of the Ghanaian diaspora in national development;

4. Mobilise the diaspora for sustainable development in the areas of health; agriculture, education, skill and technology transfer, investment and philanthropy; and

5. Promote the diaspora as an important source and facilitator of research and innovation, technology transfer and skills development. To this end, maximise the benefits of the Diaspora and engage more with them through the
promotion and implementation ofpolicies to boost flows of financial resources, information and technology.

6. Promote direct investment of Diaspora in local firms through joint ventures. As much as possible, information on areas of viable economic investment should be provided onregular basis to the Ghanaian diaspora to whip up their enthusiasm to decide to set uptheir independent companies or lead international consortia for the same purpose.

7. Bring the Ghanaian diaspora closer to credible Ghanaian private sector entities for joint partnership ventures

8. Facilitate citizenship and residency rights including dual citizenship and voting rights as important determinants for diaspora participation in trade, investment and technology transfer to Ghana as well as a strategy to build confidence and trust between the Government and the Diaspora Community.

9. Liaise with relevant stakeholders to improve the business environment to encourage more diaspora investment.

10. Develop a strategic plan for the engagement process.

TheDiaspora Engagement process will involve stakeholders from governmental and non-governmental institutions, national and international bodies. The list of institutions identified in this section is by no means exhaustive; rather, it is illustrative of the kind of stakeholders that will be involved in discussions and the mainstreaming process at the national and sectorial levels.

1. Government Institutions
 Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Regional Integration (Diaspora Affairs Bureau) – National Platform
 Ghana Missions abroad
 National Development Planning Commission
 Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations
 Ministry of Finance
 Ministry of the Interior
 Ghana Statistical Service
 Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development
 Ghana Immigration Service
 Ministry of Tourism
 Ministry of Trade and Industry
 Other Government Ministries, Agencies and Departments

2. Employers’ and Workers’ Association (Trade Union Congress, Ghana Medical Association, Association of Ghana Industries etc)

3. Development Partners International Donors (IMF, World Bank, Africa Development Bank etc)
 United Nations Agencies (e.g. UNDP, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNHABITAT etc)
 International Organization of Migration (IOM)
 Other International Agencies
 Human Rights Agencies
4. Private Sector

5. NGO’s and Civil Society

6. Migrants (Diaspora, Diaspora Organizations,)

7. Financial Institutions
 Bank of Ghana
 Commercial Banks
 Investment Banks
 Insurance Companies

8. Chamber of Commerce

9. Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC)

To ensure informed decision for the effective participation in the national development, a one-stop-shop website is been developed to purposely provide the Ghanaian Diaspora with accurate and up-to-date information on government policies, programmes, plans, regulations, and processes as well as prevailing conditions in the country to ensure a better engagement process. This platform could also be used to elicit inputs from that community to help with the initiation, formulation and implementation of the Diaspora Engagement Policy.