Ghana and Serbia are moving towards formalising a labour mobility agreement that could offer thousands of young Ghanaians opportunities to work in Serbia, as Belgrade prepares to grant 100,000 work permits this year to fill its growing labour shortages.

The development was announced during a joint press conference in Accra by Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and Serbia’s Foreign Minister, Marko Đurić, who is on an official visit to Ghana. The agreement is seen as a strategic measure by both countries: Ghana aims to tackle domestic unemployment by sending workers abroad, while Serbia seeks to address its shrinking workforce and boost productivity.

“This is about opportunity and dignity for our young people,” Ablakwa said. “We are committed to ensuring that any such arrangement will uphold the rights, safety, and welfare of Ghanaian workers abroad.”

The discussions form part of Ghana’s broader strategy to create employment opportunities abroad for its growing, youthful, and educated population. Ghana aims to be the second African country, after Egypt, to formalise such an agreement with Serbia.

For Serbia, the deal supports efforts to mitigate demographic challenges, as the country grapples with a declining birth rate and the need for young, skilled labour in industries like construction, agriculture, ICT, healthcare, and services.

Beyond labour migration, Ghana and Serbia are also exploring cooperation in education, with scholarships available to Ghanaians through Serbia’s “World in Serbia” initiative.

Foreign Minister Đurić confirmed the mutual benefits of the plan: “With an ageing population, there is a growing requirement for us to exchange and build bridges between our people.”

The two nations are expected to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding in the coming months.