World Refugee Economic Summit: Stakeholders discuss youth inclusion, economic empowerment in Ghana

 In commemoration of World Refugee Day, stakeholders throughout authorities, humanitarian, non-public sector, and faith-based institu­tions convened in Accra for the World Refugee Financial Summit (WRES).

It was organised below the theme: ‘Leveraging Group as a Superpower to Construct Maintain­in a position Livelihood Alternatives for Refugee Youth’.

The summit served as a platform for advancing coverage and follow aimed toward fostering refugee inclusion, self-sufficiency, and financial empowerment, with a selected concentrate on refugee youth.

Organised by a coalition comprising the Mastercard Basis, Ghana Refugee Board (GRB), United Nations Excessive Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Amahoro Coalition, Christian Council of Ghana, World College Service of Canada (WUSC), and WUSC’s DREEM Youth Advisory Com­mittee (YAE), the summit drew participation from policymakers, civil society leaders, non-public sector actors, and refugee youth repre­sentatives.

In accordance with the United Na­tions, over 43.3 million refugees have been below UNHCR’s mandate as of mid-2024, a determine reflecting the worldwide urgency of sustainable and inclusive responses to compelled displacement.

In Ghana, roughly 15,000 refugees and asylum search­ers are at present hosted throughout camps and concrete facilities, with growing requires livelihood interventions and socio-economic integration.

Delivering the welcome handle, Appiah Wiafe Adofo, Nation Director for WUSC Gha­na, highlighted the crucial of integrating refugees into nationwide growth frameworks.

“We can not speak about sus­tainable growth with out deliberately together with refugees. Right this moment, we aren’t simply creating conversations—we’re co-creating options with the very people who find themselves dwelling by means of displace­ment,” she mentioned.

“This summit displays our perception that refugee youth will not be merely beneficiaries; they’re builders of their very own futures and contributors to nationwide progress,” she added.

A key spotlight of the summit was a panel session that introduced collectively representatives from authorities establishments, human­itarian our bodies, and the non-public sector. The session explored sys­temic limitations confronted by refugees in Ghana and examined sensible methods to handle them.

Tetteh Padi, Chief Government Officer of the Ghana Refugee Board (GRB), disclosed that offi­cial identification playing cards could be issued to eligible refugees to fa­cilitate entry to monetary providers and formal employment.

“The Nationwide Identifica­tion Authority regulation specifies that foreigners who’re residents within the nation for greater than three months have to be issued with a non-citizen id card,” Mr Padi defined.

This transfer goals to regularise the standing of hundreds of dis­positioned individuals and unlock important pathways to socio-economic inclusion.

The Ghana Immigration Ser­vice (GIS), represented by Chief Superintendent Francis Ayebie, reaffirmed its collaboration with GRB to streamline entry to authorized paperwork for refugees. “The GIS has maintained shut half­nership with the GRB to make sure refugees can entry essential paperwork for lodging in Ghana,” Mr Ayebie famous.

Delivering a solidarity mes­sage, Mercy Kusiwaa Frimpong of the Amahoro Coalition reported that over 33,000 job pledges had been secured from non-public sector companions for refugees throughout Africa throughout the current Africa Discussion board on Displacement held in Nairobi.

“We’re proving that refugees will not be burdens. They’re medical doctors, coders, agripreneurs, lecturers, and technicians who fled battle, not their expertise,” she mentioned.

Talking on behalf of the Mastercard Basis, Rica Re­gan, Nation Director, spotlight­ed the organisation’s dedication to equipping displaced youth with the abilities and instruments wanted for en­trepreneurship and employment.

“At Mastercard Basis, we imagine that by equipping ref­ugee youth with instruments for entre­preneurship and employment, we lay the inspiration for long-term development and peace,” she mentioned

 BY TIMES REPORTER