The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has clarified that government did not seek any financial or material support from the South African government to evacuate Ghanaians affected by xenophobic attacks.
It therefore, said government will not be part of countries being asked to reimburse the South African government for evacuation costs.
In a statement issued today (Thursday, August 13, 2026), the Ministry said it had taken note of media publications indicating that the Government of South Africa is requesting reimbursement amounting to $18 million from a number of African countries for the support and facilitation extended in the evacuation of fellow Africans out of South Africa.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to state for the record, in unequivocal terms, that the evacuation of all our compatriots was fully funded by the Government of Ghana and our Ghanaian partners.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Ghana did not seek any financial or material support from the South African Government to bring our fellow nationals back home,” the statement said.
Background
The statement comes on the back of South Africa’s demand from Nigeria, Malawi and Ethiopia, the reimbursement for part of $18.5 million, approximately R292 million spent on repatriating their nationals in their immigration enforcement execircise.
Briefing Parliament on the expenditure, the Director-General of Home Affairs, Tommy Makhode said the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) had budgeted R60 million for deportations but had spent R292 million.
He said Department of Home Affairs has contacted the three countries through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).
The request, is expected to cover costs from an operation that had processed 82,875 foreign nationals through repatriation centres by August 6. Meanwhile, the number does not include those who returned before June 30 or those handled directly by the Border Management Authority.
“We have also written to the government of Malawi and, of course, the embassies of Nigeria and Ethiopia requesting reimbursements of this cost through the department of DIRCO,” Mr Makhode told the South African Parliament.
Ghana’s case
While Ghana has not been mentioned by the Director General of Home Affairs, government and its partners bore the total cost of the evacuation. It had spent approximately GH₵10.6 million on evacuees as comprehensive support package including GH₵5,000 for reintegration grant and GH₵500 travel and transport cost to each evacuee.
The first phase saw 926 Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa, which meant government expended approximately GH₵5.1 million (GH₵5,093,000) as comprehensive support package. Meanwhile, the second phase which brought home another 1,000 evacuees costed the government GH₵5.5 million
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is expected to later this year render comprehensive account on expenditures by government and donations from individuals and corporate institutions.
Assurance
The Ministry further assured that the latest round of evacuations have followed the same principle, with the government and Ghanaian partners bearing the entire cost.
It said that since May 2026, more than 1,600 Ghanaians have been evacuated home from South Africa by the Government of Ghana, and that the exercise is ongoing.
“Ghanaians can therefore be assured that under no circumstances will Ghana be listed among the countries being requested by the Government of South Africa to reimburse the cost incurred in repatriating foreign nationals,” the statement stressed.
The Ministry reiterated government’s commitment to protecting the lives and welfare of citizens wherever they may be, and said it will continue to take timely and decisive action whenever the safety and security of Ghanaians abroad are at risk “regardless of the cost required.”
It also conveyed profound gratitude to President John Mahama and all Ghanaian partners for ensuring a fully Ghanaian-funded evacuation
