Foreign Affairs Ministry dismisses South Africa's claim of $18m reimbursement for evacuation of Ghanaians

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has noted that the Government of Ghana fully funded the evacuation of Ghanaian nationals from South Africa following recent xenophobic attacks.

The Ministry said Ghana did not seek financial or material support from the South African Government for the evacuation of the affected nationals.

It said the latest evacuations had followed the same principle, with the Government of Ghana and Ghanaian partners bearing the entire cost of bringing the nationals home.

The press statement issued on Thursday follows media reports indicating that the South African Government was seeking reimbursement of about $18 million from several African countries for support and facilitation provided during the evacuation of foreign nationals.

It said the reports did not apply to Ghana, stressing that the country had independently financed the evacuation of its nationals.

“Since May 2026, more than 1,600 Ghanaians have been evacuated from South Africa by the Government of Ghana, with the exercise continuing,” it stated.

The Ministry said evacuated Ghanaians were provided with reintegration funds, transport fares and relief items upon arrival in Ghana to support their smooth reintegration.

It assured Ghanaians that the country would not be listed among those required to reimburse South Africa for the cost incurred in repatriating foreign nationals.

The Ministry reiterated the Government's commitment to protecting the lives and welfare of Ghanaians abroad and said it would continue to take timely and decisive action whenever the safety and security of Ghanaian citizens overseas were at risk, regardless of the cost involved.

The statement expressed gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama and Ghanaian partners for supporting the fully funded evacuation of Ghanaian nationals.

The Ministry urged the public to rely on official information concerning the evacuation exercise.