By: Hannah Dadzie
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has held separate diplomatic engagements with the Ambassadors of Israel and Iran to discuss the safe evacuation of Ghanaians amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, as well as to address recent diplomatic concerns.
This was disclosed by the Minister in a Facebook post on Friday, June 20, 2025.
The meetings, which took place earlier this week at the Foreign Ministry, saw Ambassador Roey Gilad of Israel visiting on Tuesday, followed by Ambassador Ali Ghomshi of Iran on Wednesday.
According to Mr Ablakwa, the discussions provided a platform to communicate the Mahama Administration’s emergency evacuation strategy for Ghanaian citizens residing in the two countries. He noted that arrangements are being made with the respective governments to ensure smooth border access and necessary clearances to facilitate the safe passage of Ghanaians.
“So far, the first batch of Ghanaians in Iran have been successfully evacuated to Turkey,” the Minister revealed, adding that similar arrangements are underway for those in Israel.
In his meeting with the Israeli Ambassador, Mr Ablakwa also expressed Ghana’s strong displeasure over Ambassador Gilad’s recent public criticism of Ghana’s voting record at international forums.
“I urged him to respect Ghana’s sovereign right to make independent decisions rooted in our longstanding foreign policy principles,” Mr. Ablakwa emphasized, citing Ghana’s commitment to non-alignment, peacebuilding, adherence to the UN Charter, and multilateralism.
He stressed that Ghana’s foreign policy decisions are driven by national interest and guided by the 1992 Constitution, especially at a time when the country holds key international leadership roles — including its seat on the UN Human Rights Council and as Chair of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The Minister concluded both meetings with a renewed call for restraint and peaceful dialogue between Israel and Iran.
“Ghana remains committed to advocating for a ceasefire and the pursuit of a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing conflict,” he affirmed.
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