The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has questioned Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Roey Gilad over his recent comments expressing disappointment with Ghana’s voting records at the United Nations. The ambassador questioned Ghana’s decision to often abstain from such votes when issues involving Israel come up. The latest was Ghana’s decision to abstain from a vote on Iran’s nuclear activities at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board in Vienna.
According to Mr. Ablakwa he has expressed the government’s displeasure over recent public comments made by the envoy at a meeting earlier this week in a statement published on Facebook on Friday (June 20, 2025)
The Israeli Ambassador had publicly expressed disappointment over Ghana’s decision, saying Israel had lobbied strongly for support and viewed Iran’s nuclear programme as an existential threat.
“I registered Ghana’s strong displeasure at his recent public pronouncements questioning Ghana’s voting pattern at international organisations,”
“I urged him to respect our sovereign right to make independent decisions based on our longstanding globally acclaimed foreign policy principles.” He stated
According to Mr Ablakwa, Ghana’s foreign policy is firmly grounded in the 1992 Constitution and is shaped by the country’s pacifist tradition, non-alignment, commitment to multilateral diplomacy, and strict adherence to international law.
According to the Foreign Affairs Minister, he has also held talks with Iranian Ambassador to Ghana H.E. Ali Ghomshi and urged the two countries to cease hostilities in the ongoing exchange of missiles and bombardments.
Below is the full statement from the Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa:
This week, I invited the ambassadors of Israel and Iran to my office for separate meetings.
On Tuesday, I met with H.E. Roey Gilad of Israel and then held talks with H.E. Ali Ghomshi of Iran on Wednesday.
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.
So far, the first batch of Ghanaians in Iran have been evacuated to Turkey successfully. Our fellow nationals living in Israel will be evacuated shortly.
These engagements have also enriched our understanding of the ongoing conflict.
It is worth emphasizing that in the meeting with the Israeli Ambassador, I registered Ghana’s strong displeasure at his recent public pronouncements questioning Ghana’s voting pattern at international organizations.
I urged him to respect our sovereign right to make independent decisions based on our longstanding globally acclaimed foreign policy principles anchored on Ghana’s national interest as espoused by the 1992 Constitution, pacifist approach to peace building, non-alignment, respect for the UN Charter, adherence to the rule-based international order, belief in multilateralism and strict compliance with international law.
These cherished principles will continue to guide Ghana’s foreign policy imperatives within all international organizations, particularly at this defining moment when Ghana is serving on the UN Human Rights Council and chairing the governing board of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Finally, I re-echoed Ghana’s demand for both countries to ceasefire and opt for a peaceful diplomatic resolution of their concerns
“These principles will continue to guide Ghana’s foreign policy in all international organisations, especially at this crucial moment when Ghana is serving on the UN Human Rights Council and chairing the governing board of the International Atomic Energy Agency,” he added.
The engagement with the Israeli envoy was part of a series of diplomatic meetings held during the week.
Mr Ablakwa also met the Iranian Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Ali Ghomshi, to discuss the safety of Ghanaian citizens living in both Iran and Israel, as tensions between the two countries continue to rise.
Mr Ablakwa said the Mahama administration has put in place an emergency evacuation plan to ensure the safety of Ghanaians in the affected regions.
