Accra: The government, humanitarian, private sector, and faith-based institutions have convened in Accra to commemorate World Refugee Day with the World Refugee Economic Summit (WRES). The summit served as a platform for advancing policy and practice aimed at fostering refugee inclusion, self-sufficiency, and economic empowerment, with a specific focus on refugee youth.
According to Ghana News Agency, a statement issued in Accra said the event was organised by a coalition comprising the Mastercard Foundation, Ghana Refugee Board, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Amahoro Coalition, and Christian Council of Ghana. The rest are World University Service of Canada (WUSC), and WUSC’s DREEM Youth Advisory Committee. The summit drew participation from policymakers, civil society leaders, private sector actors, and refugee youth representatives.
The United Nations reported that over 43.3 million refugees were under UNHCR’s mandate as of mid-2024, highlighting the global urgency of sustainable and inclusive responses to forced displacement. In Ghana, approximately 15,000 refugees and asylum seekers are currently hosted across camps and urban centers, with increasing calls for livelihood interventions and socio-economic integration.
Madam Appiah Wiafe Adofo, Country Director for WUSC Ghana, emphasized the importance of integrating refugees into national development frameworks. ‘We cannot talk about sustainable development without intentionally including refugees. Today, we are not just creating conversations, we are co-creating solutions with the very people who are living through displacement,’ she stated. She further remarked that refugee youth are not merely beneficiaries but are builders of their own futures and contributors to national progress.
A significant aspect of the summit was a panel session that gathered representatives from government institutions, humanitarian bodies, and the private sector. The session explored systemic barriers faced by refugees in Ghana and examined practical strategies to address them. Mr. Tetteh Padi, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Refugee Board, announced that official identification cards would be issued to eligible refugees to facilitate access to financial services and formal employment. He explained that the National Identification Authority law requires that foreigners residing in the country for more than three months be issued with a non-citizen identity card. This initiative aims to regularize the status of thousands of displaced persons and unlock critical pathways to socio-economic inclusion.
The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), represented by Chief Superintendent Francis Ayebie, reaffirmed its collaboration with GRB to streamline access to legal documents for refugees. ‘The GIS has maintained close partnership with the GRB to ensure refugees can access necessary documents for accommodation in Ghana,’ Mr. Ayebie noted.
Madam Mercy Kusiwaa Frimpong of the Amahoro Coalition reported that over 33,000 job pledges had been secured from private sector partners for refugees across Africa during the recent Africa Forum on Displacement held in Nairobi. ‘We are proving that refugees are not burdens. They are doctors, coders, agripreneurs, teachers, and technicians who fled conflict, not their skills,’ she said.
Rica Regan, Country Director, Mastercard Foundation, highlighted the organization’s commitment to equipping displaced youth with the skills and tools needed for entrepreneurship and employment. ‘At Mastercard Foundation, we believe that by equipping refugee youth with tools for entrepreneurship and employment, we lay the foundation for long-term growth and peace,’ she stated.