Ablakwa meets Israeli and Iranian ambassadors over evacuation and Ghana’s foreign policy stance
Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has revealed that he held separate meetings with the ambassadors of Israel and Iran this week to discuss Ghana’s emergency evacuation strategy and reiterate the country’s foreign policy principles amid the escalating conflict between the two nations.
In a Facebook post, Ablakwa disclosed that he met with H.E. Roey Gilad of Israel on Tuesday, followed by H.E. Ali Ghomshi of Iran on Wednesday. The engagements, according to him, focused primarily on the safe evacuation of Ghanaians currently residing in both countries.
“The meetings afforded me the opportunity to convey the Mahama Administration’s emergency evacuation strategy for Ghanaians living in their countries with the two ambassadors for onward communication to their governments to facilitate border access approvals,” he stated.
He announced that the first batch of Ghanaian nationals in Iran has already been successfully evacuated to Turkey, with evacuation arrangements for those in Israel expected to commence shortly.
Beyond evacuation logistics, Ablakwa said the conversations helped deepen understanding of the conflict and Ghana’s commitment to neutrality and diplomacy.
He took particular issue with recent remarks by the Israeli Ambassador regarding Ghana’s voting patterns at international forums.
“I registered Ghana’s strong displeasure at his recent public pronouncements questioning Ghana’s voting pattern at international organizations,” Ablakwa said, adding that he reminded the Ambassador of Ghana’s sovereign right to make independent decisions based on its time-honoured foreign policy principles.
He stressed that Ghana’s position remains guided by non-alignment, pacifism, multilateralism, adherence to international law, and its obligations under the UN Charter — especially critical now, as the country serves on the UN Human Rights Council and chairs the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
In closing, Ablakwa reiterated Ghana’s call for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran and urged both parties to pursue a peaceful, diplomatic resolution to the conflict.
