At Home in the World?

International Migration and Development in Contemporary Ghana and West Africa

An estimated 15% of Ghana's population live outside the country, and remittances from Ghanaians living overseas contribute at least a quarter of the country's income: the single most important source. But while organisations such as the World Bank and United Nations believe that effectively managed international migration can contribute to growth and prosperity, Ghana has virtually no coordinated migration/development policies. In Europe meanwhile, concerns about high levels of immigration from the global South are mounting, and range from the impact of the brain drain from the south on international development, through the impact of migration on the European social state and social cohesiveness, to concerns about illegal migration and terrorism in the post 9/11 world. Yet it is only the most progressive countries that link policies on international migration and development, at government level. Debates about the relationship between migration and development are longstanding, politically sensitive and remain crucial to northern and southern countries. But while the phenomena are much discussed, there is a need for better data and more research.

Emanating from an international conference on migration and development convened by the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana, Legon, the UNDP and the Royal Netherlands Embassy, this collection of papers considers topics such as: patterns of migration in West Africa; the Dutch perspective on contemporary migration; the macroeconomic impact of remittances; the impact of the brain drain on the health and higher education sectors in Ghana; the religious dimension of migration; and the role of diaspora-based organisations in socio-economic development.

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