Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Emmanuel Smith, has called on members of the Ghanaian diaspora to move beyond remittances and invest in businesses that can create jobs, strengthen local industries and improve livelihoods in the country.

He said Ghana needed to harness the financial resources, expertise and entrepreneurial capabilities of its citizens abroad to drive sustainable economic growth, particularly in sectors such as energy, healthcare, tourism, agriculture and agribusiness.

Ambassador Smith made the call during a meeting with the Washington Government Relations Group (WGRG) in Washington, DC, on October 22, 2026, as part of efforts to strengthen Ghana’s economic diplomacy and attract investment.

“The true measure of successful diplomacy is not the number of high-level meetings we attend, but the investments we attract, the businesses we help establish and the lives we improve,” he said.

Ghana seeks investment partnerships

The Ambassador said Ghana was seeking strategic partnerships that deliver mutual economic benefits rather than relationships centred primarily on the purchase of foreign goods or the provision of economic assistance.

“Ghana wants strategic partnerships for mutual economic benefit, not relationships defined merely by the purchase of American products,” he stated.

He encouraged members of the group to visit Ghana, explore investment opportunities and support the development of local industries capable of creating employment and providing sustainable livelihoods.

According to him, Ghana’s efforts to move beyond exporting raw materials towards processing, refining and higher-value production have opened new opportunities for diaspora-led businesses and international investors.

He said expanding domestic investment and creating economic opportunities could help ensure that migration becomes a matter of choice rather than a response to limited employment prospects.

US group plans visit to Ghana

The meeting brought together the Washington Government Relations Group, a network of independent, non-partisan volunteers whose membership includes representatives of corporations, financial institutions, law firms, trade associations and non-profit organisations.

The group’s leader, Dontal L. Smalls, Senior Vice President of Global Public Affairs, welcomed the Ambassador’s presentation and xult the group yiurvxh a visit to Ghana in 2027.

The proposed visit is expected to coincide with Ghana’s 70th Independence Anniversary celebrations and include economic engagements as well as cultural exchanges.

Smalls expressed the group’s readiness to engage with the Ghanaian Embassy and explore opportunities to support the Ambassador’s economic diplomacy agenda.

Focus on economic diplomacy

The engagement forms part of the Embassy’s efforts to translate Ghana’s international relationships and diaspora connections into investment opportunities with long-term economic benefits.

Ambassador Smith’s message places particular emphasis on mobilising diaspora capital and expertise to establish businesses, develop local industries and expand employment opportunities.

The proposed engagement between the WGRG and Ghana could provide a platform for further discussions on investment prospects and partnerships between Ghanaian businesses and American institutions.