Feb 13- 2023
On Thursday, 9th February 2023, the High Commissioner, His Excellency Anselm Ransford Sowah met with the Member of Parliament responsible for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada, Honourable Marie-France Lalonde at her office to discuss International Experience Canada (Youth Mobility) Agreement between Ghana and Canada. The High Commissioner was accompanied by Mr. Simon Atieku, Minister responsible for Political, Economic and Diaspora Affairs.
International Experience Canada (IEC) is a programme designed by the government of Canada to enable the youth of Canada and partner countries to have the opportunity to travel and work in Canada and vice-versa to gain work experience.
Currently, Canada has bilateral arrangements with thirty-six (36) countries in respect of the programme. Unfortunately, there are no African countries which is part of this arrangement with Canada.
To further strengthen the existing cordial relation with Canada, the High Commissioner informed Hon. Lalonde that Ghana is desirous of having bilateral cooperation arrangements with Canada in this innovative youth programme. He, therefore, appealed to the government of Canada to consider Ghana for the programme, and he also assured the host country that the government of Ghana would ensure that the beneficiaries would return to Ghana at the end of the programme.
In response, the Member of Parliament stated that Canada was committed to further strengthen the ties of development and cooperation with Ghana for the mutual benefit of the two countries. In this regard, she assured the High Commissioner that the request would be given a serious consideration by the government of Canada.
10th February, 2023