Ghana is seeking to finalize a Labour Mobility Agreement with Serbia to secure employment opportunities for thousands of young Ghanaians, as the European nation prepares to issue 100,000 work permits this year.
The move, announced during a joint press briefing in Accra by Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and Serbia’s Foreign Minister, Mr Marko Đurić, aims to boost youth employment while strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
The proposed agreement is designed to create structured pathways for Ghanaian professionals and skilled workers to take up jobs in key sectors of Serbia’s economy, including construction, healthcare, ICT, agriculture, and services.
Mr Ablakwa described the initiative as “timely and strategic,” noting Ghana’s advantage of having a young and dynamic population, with a median age of 20, compared to Serbia’s ageing workforce and low birth rates.
“Serbia has an ageing population and will require a labour mobility agreement that takes full advantage of Ghana’s youthful demographic,” he said.
“The Foreign Minister has indicated that Serbia will issue 100,000 work permits this year, and Ghana is interested in securing a significant share of that for our young people.”
He added that Ghana hopes to become the second African country, after Egypt, to formalise such a bilateral labour arrangement with Serbia.
“This is how we deepen people-to-people engagements and create economic opportunities for all our citizens at every level,” Mr Ablakwa said.
The Labour Mobility Agreement is expected to address critical employment gaps in Serbia, while simultaneously helping Ghana tackle its high youth unemployment rates.
It also reflects Ghana’s broader strategy of seeking international job placement and skills development opportunities for its growing educated youth population.
Mr Ablakwa emphasized that the government’s priority was not just creating jobs abroad, but ensuring that such agreements guarantee dignity, safety, and decent working conditions for Ghanaian workers.
“This is about opportunity and dignity for our young people,” he stated. “We are committed to ensuring that any arrangement will protect the rights and welfare of Ghanaian workers abroad,” he said.
For Serbia, the deal offers a solution to a growing labour shortfall caused by a shrinking and ageing population. Foreign Minister Marko Đurić said Serbia was actively seeking partnerships with countries that have a surplus of young talent.
“With an ageing population, Serbia faces increasing labour demands,” Mr Đurić said. “That’s why we are working to build bridges with countries like Ghana, which has an abundance of skilled and energetic young people.”
He affirmed Serbia’s readiness to formalize the agreement and praised Ghana’s approach to international cooperation that extends beyond diplomacy into practical partnerships.
“We’re discussing people-to-people connectivity, mobility of the labour force, cultural exchange, and opportunities for mutual growth,” he said.
The Serbian minister’s visit to Ghana, which includes meetings with top government officials such as the Speaker of Parliament and the Ministers of Agriculture, Defence, Youth and Sports, and Tourism, marks a new chapter in Ghana-Serbia relations.
In addition to labour mobility, both countries are also exploring educational collaboration. Serbia is offering Ghanaian students scholarships through its “World in Serbia” initiative, a programme designed to deepen academic and cultural exchange.
