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Ghana is positioning migration, remittances, and diaspora engagement as central pillars of its development strategy, the Director General of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr. Audrey Smock Amoah, has said.
Speaking at the International Migration Review Forum 2026 in New York City, Dr. Smock Amoah outlined how Ghana is embedding migration and diaspora priorities into national planning frameworks to advance the objectives of the United Nations Global Compact for Migration (GCM).
Her remarks came during a side event co-hosted with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
The event, held under the theme “Remittances and Diaspora Contributions to Achieve the Global Compact for Migration Goals in Africa,” convened government officials, development partners, academics, and civil society actors to explore how migration can be harnessed for inclusive growth across the continent.
Dr. Smock Amoah reported that remittance inflows to Ghana reached an estimated US$7.8 billion in 2025, accounting for nearly 6% of Gross Domestic Product.
She noted that these flows continue to support household incomes, reduce poverty levels, and contribute to broader macroeconomic stability.
She linked the increasing use of formal remittance channels to improvements in Ghana’s macroeconomic environment, including lower inflation, greater currency stability, and a more resilient financial sector. These developments, she said, have strengthened public confidence in regulated financial systems and encouraged the shift away from informal transfer methods.
Migration and diaspora issues, Dr. Smock Amoah stated, have been integrated into Ghana’s Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies.
The priorities are being advanced through the Medium-Term National Development Policy Framework, which operates under the theme _“Resetting Ghana Agenda: Creating Jobs, Ensuring Accountability and Promoting Shared Prosperity.”
She added that Ghana’s National Implementation Plan on the Global Compact for Migration (2025–2027) identifies six focus areas: diaspora engagement and remittances, labour migration, border management, return and reintegration, and measures to combat human trafficking.
The side event formed part of the International Migration Review Forum 2026, which evaluates global progress on the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration adopted in 2018.
According to Dr. Smock Amoah, Ghana’s approach offers a model for how developing countries can transform migration into a resource for development by aligning policy, strengthening financial infrastructure, and deepening partnerships with diaspora communities.
The forum continues in New York as member states review national commitments and exchange strategies for managing migration in ways that support sustainable development.
