Ghana Launches 2025 Diaspora Summit and Awards Gala to Strengthen Global African Community Ties
Ghana has officially launched the 2025 Diaspora Summit and Awards Gala, marking a significant step towards deepening engagement with the global African diaspora as equal partners in national development and the broader African renaissance. The summit, themed “Resetting Ghana: The Diaspora as the 17th Region,” is scheduled to take place in December and will feature plenaries on investment, innovation, and culture, as well as a special reparations conference.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, emphasized that the summit would go beyond homecoming and celebrations to serve as a platform for advancing justice, reparations, and unity among Africans worldwide. “We send a very clear message today that those who tried to divide us did not succeed. We remain one people that cannot be separated by oceans or by history,” he said.
To facilitate participation, the Ghanaian government has announced visa-free entry for all participants traveling to Ghana for the summit. This gesture is symbolic of Ghana’s commitment to welcoming its “17th Region.” Mr. Ablakwa added that when brothers and sisters are coming home, no impediments should be placed before them.
Five distinguished Africans will be honored as envoys of the summit, each receiving a diplomatic passport in recognition of their efforts in advancing African unity and cultural identity. The honorees include:
Celebrated YouTuber: Wode Maya
UK-based Entrepreneur and Cultural Promoter: Lady Dentaa Amoateng
Iconic Musician: Rocky Dawuni
Creative Entrepreneur: Anita Erskine
Renowned Visual Artist: Ibrahim Mahama
On reparations, Mr. Ablakwa emphasized that Ghana would continue to champion the African Union’s campaign, with President John Dramani Mahama’s mandate as AU Champion for Reparations recently extended for another decade. “This is not about monetary gain. It is about restoring dignity, justice, and closure,” the Minister stressed.
Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, Deputy Chief of Staff, assured the diaspora community that their investments and contributions would be secured and welcomed. “The diaspora is not apart from Ghana; it is part of Ghana. Your stories, your talents, your innovations, your sacrifices enrich our fabric. This summit is a celebration of the invaluable place you occupy in our development agenda,” she said.
The summit is linked to Africa’s forthcoming “Decade of Reparations” (2026-2036), stressing the need for Africans everywhere to pool their resources and energies. “We can only build our own when we connect our collective energies. Reparations are also about building Africa and its descendants,” she added.
Mr. Kofi Okyere Darko, Director of the Diaspora Affairs Office at the Presidency, described the summit as a reset in Ghana’s diaspora policy, shifting the perception of the diaspora from remittance senders to full partners in transformation. “Ghana’s greatest wealth is not beneath the ground but within its people, both at home and abroad. This summit is about repositioning the diaspora as a monumental resource for growth and development,” he stated.
Remittances reached $6.4 billion in 2024 and are projected to surpass $6.8 billion in 2025, contributing about six percent to Ghana’s GDP. However, Mr. Darko emphasized that the diaspora’s true value lies beyond finance, in innovation, entrepreneurship, and advocacy that connects Ghana to the world stage.
The Diaspora Affairs Office is working to institutionalize diaspora engagement through the Diaspora Engagement Policy and partnerships with over 27 ministries and agencies. Initiatives include a 24-hour hotline, residence permit support for returnees, and endorsements for over 100 diaspora-led organizations.
