Ghana did not seek support from South Africa for evacuation – Gov’t denies $18m bill claims

Ghana says it has no financial obligation to South Africa over the evacuation of its citizens from the country, insisting that the entire exercise was funded locally.

The clarification from the Government follows reports suggesting that South Africa could seek reimbursement from several African countries for expenses incurred in facilitating the evacuation of foreign nationals amid recent xenophobic tensions.

In a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dated Thursday, August 13, 2026, the government maintained that Ghana independently covered the cost of bringing its nationals back home.

“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 Ministry stated.

The government said the latest evacuations have also been financed by Ghana and its local partners, ruling out any basis for a reimbursement claim against the country.

“Government further assures that the latest round of evacuations have followed the same principle with the Government of Ghana and our Ghanaian partners bearing the entire cost.”

The evacuation exercise comes against the backdrop of concerns over the safety of foreign nationals in South Africa following incidents of xenophobia and attacks targeting immigrants.

Since May 2026, more than 1,600 Ghanaians have reportedly been evacuated from South Africa, with the repatriation exercise still ongoing.

The Ministry said Ghana’s responsibility has extended beyond transporting the returnees, with the government providing assistance to help them settle after their arrival.

“It is also worth highlighting that upon arrival in Ghana, the evacuees are all provided with reintegration funds, transport fares and other relief items, as part of the Government’s commitment to ensure their smooth reintegration.”

The statement added, “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 Ministry reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to protecting its citizens abroad and said it would continue to intervene whenever their safety and security are threatened.