Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Foreign Affairs Minister, has disclosed that the government of Ghana has successfully evacuated the first group of its nationals from Iran to Turkey as part of an emergency response to rising tensions in the Middle East, and those in Israel will also be considered as soon as possible.
He made this known when he held separate high-level meetings with the ambassadors of Israel and Iran to discuss the safety of Ghanaian nationals amid the ongoing conflict between the two countries.
Ablakwa welcomed the Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Roey Gilad, to his office, which was followed by a meeting on Wednesday with the Iranian Ambassador, H.E. Ali Ghomshi.
He said these engagements provided the opportunity to formally present the President John Mahama administration’s emergency evacuation strategy for Ghanaians currently residing in both nations.
Ablakwa urged the ambassadors to facilitate swift border access approvals through their respective governments to ensure the safe and orderly evacuation of Ghanaian citizens.
As a result of these coordinated efforts, the first batch of Ghanaians in Iran has already been successfully evacuated to Turkey, adding that plans for evacuating Ghanaian nationals from Israel are at an advanced stage and are expected to be executed shortly.
Beyond the evacuation agenda, the meetings served as a platform for broader diplomatic dialogue. Ablakwa expressed deep concern about the current state of hostilities and urged both nations to commit to a ceasefire and pursue a peaceful, diplomatic resolution to their grievances.
In a pointed exchange during his meeting with Ambassador Roey Gilad, Ablakwa registered Ghana’s strong displeasure at recent remarks made by the Israeli envoy questioning Ghana’s voting record at international organizations.
He firmly defended Ghana’s sovereign right to adopt foreign policy positions grounded in its longstanding principles — non-alignment, multilateralism, respect for the United Nations Charter, international law, and a pacifist approach to conflict resolution.
“These cherished principles,” Ablakwa stated, “will continue to guide Ghana’s foreign policy imperatives within all international organisations, especially at this crucial time when Ghana serves on the UN Human Rights Council and chairs the governing board of the International Atomic Energy Agency.”
The separate meetings not only reinforced Ghana’s commitment to the safety of its citizens abroad but also underscored the country’s active diplomatic role in advocating for peace and dialogue amidst rising global tensions.
Earlier, Ablakwa revealed that 922 Ghanaians have been identified in Israel, including 65 students enrolled across six universities, as the government prepares for evacuation.
