By Hannah Dadzie
Ghana has called on the Commonwealth of Nations to strongly condemn the recent attack on United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon, which left three Ghanaian soldiers seriously injured.This follows an attack on the Ghana Battalion headquarters, known as “Camp Obeng”, in southern Lebanon last Friday during an exchange of fire between the Israel Defence Forces and Hezbollah.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, made the call while addressing the 26th Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers’ Meeting in London.
According to Mr Ablakwa, the injured peacekeepers have undergone multiple surgeries following the attack, which he described as a direct assault on the principles of multilateralism and the values enshrined in the United Nations Charter.
“An attack on UN peacekeepers is an attack on multilateralism. It is an attack on every principle that the UN Charter insists we defend,” he said.
Mr Ablakwa urged Commonwealth member states to unequivocally condemn the incident and support calls for an immediate investigation to ensure accountability.
He noted that peacekeepers often leave their families and loved ones behind to serve in conflict zones in order to maintain global peace and stability, stressing that their sacrifices must be respected and protected.
Ghana has therefore called for swift action from the United Nations to investigate the attack and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
Ghana remains one of the major contributors to UN peacekeeping missions, with troops deployed in several conflict zones around the world in support of international peace and security.
