By: Ashiadey Dotse
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has revealed that Ghana is actively working to ensure the safety of its citizens caught in the middle of the conflict between Israel and Iran.
In a statement, the Minister said he held separate meetings this week with the ambassadors of Israel and Iran at his office in Accra. On Tuesday, he met with the Israeli Ambassador, H.E. Roey Gilad, and on Wednesday, with the Iranian Ambassador, H.E. Ali Ghomshi.
Mr. Ablakwa said the purpose of the meetings was to share Ghana’s emergency evacuation plans and to request cooperation from both countries to help Ghanaian nationals cross their borders safely.
He confirmed that the first group of Ghanaians living in Iran has already been evacuated to Turkey, and evacuation plans for those in Israel are also underway.
“These engagements have also helped us better understand the ongoing conflict,” the Minister added.
During the meeting with the Israeli Ambassador, Mr. Ablakwa expressed Ghana’s displeasure over recent comments made by the ambassador regarding Ghana’s voting decisions at international forums. He said Ghana’s foreign policy is guided by national interest and based on principles of peace, non-alignment, and respect for international law.
“We urge all diplomats to respect Ghana’s sovereign right to take independent decisions based on our Constitution and long-standing foreign policy values,” he said.
Mr. Ablakwa also called on both Israel and Iran to immediately ceasefire and choose diplomacy and dialogue to resolve their differences.
Ghana is currently serving on the UN Human Rights Council and chairs the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency, making its calls for peace even more significant.
