The four member delegation of the Association of Ghanaian Professionals in Ireland (AGPI) led by the Chairperson Dr Vincent Agyapong have paid a courtesy call on the Chief of Mission of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Ireland, Ms. Theodora Suter at her office in Dublin. The AGPI delegation included Mr Kwame Takyi, Director of Technical Operations, Mrs Belinda Agyapong, Director of Programmes and Mrs Christine Appiah, the Organising Secretary.

Welcoming the delegation, Ms Suter expressed her delight at the opportunity to interact with executives of AGPI with a view to learning more about the association’s activities as well as exploring areas of possible collaboration between the two organisations. She said that up until now, unlike their counterparts in other countries, the IOM in Dublin has focused mainly on the voluntary return of illegal migrants living in Ireland and was now looking at expanding its activities.

Responding, Dr Agyapong commended the IOM for the invaluable services the organisation renders to immigrants around the world. The delegation then briefed Ms Suter about the activities of AGPI within the immigrant community in Ireland as well as the impact of the association’s activities on the mental health delivery system in Ghana. The delegation also proposed to Ms Suter that IOM consider piloting a temporary voluntary return scheme for migrant professionals in Ireland to enable them contribute meaningfully in their areas of expertise to the development of their countries of origin as is done by their U.K and U.S counterparts. Concluding, the delegation invited Ms. Suter to the 4th Anniversary Colloquium of the AGPI which takes place on the 19th of November at the Clarion Hotel in Liffey Valley in Dublin 22 from 6pm. The theme for the colloquium is ‘Transforming Africa’s Brain Drain into Brain Gain’.

Ms. Suter expressed her gratitude to AGPI for the invitation. She also thanked the delegation for sharing ideas about how her organisation could better engage with the immigrant community in Ireland. She promised to follow-up on the leads given by the delegation and to engage constructively with the AGPI.

For more information, please visit www.agpireland.org