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Ghana begins evacuation from Iran as first batch arrives safely in Turkey
Ghana begins evacuation from Iran as first batch arrives safely in Turkey
By: Nii Ammui Fio | 3 mins read
Ghana has successfully evacuated the first group of its nationals from Iran to Turkey, amid rising tensions between Iran and Israel.
The evacuation forms part of a broader emergency strategy initiated by the government to ensure the safety of Ghanaians living in conflict zones.
The update was shared by the Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who has been at the forefront of coordinating the response. He confirmed the development following separate diplomatic meetings with the ambassadors of Israel and Iran.
Earlier this week, Mr. Ablakwa announced that Ghana would begin the immediate evacuation of its citizens in Iran due to the growing hostilities with Israel. According to him, the evacuation — conducted through land borders — covers Ghanaian diplomats, students, professionals, and other nationals.
“In addition, our fellow nationals living in Israel will be evacuated shortly,” he assured in a recent statement.
To facilitate the process, Mr. Ablakwa held bilateral meetings with H.E. Roey Gilad of Israel on Tuesday and H.E. Ali Ghomshi of Iran on Wednesday. These engagements, he said, provided the opportunity to present the Mahama administration’s emergency evacuation plan for Ghanaian nationals in both countries.
The purpose of the meetings, he noted, was to request the cooperation of both governments to grant border access approvals and ensure the safe passage of evacuees.
In the face of continued missile exchanges between Iran and Israel, Ghana has also announced the closure of its embassy in Tehran. “This decision has been taken to guarantee the safety of our embassy staff,” the Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member stated in a Facebook post.
Additionally, operations at Ghana’s embassy in Tel Aviv have been scaled down “to the barest minimum” as the government monitors the situation.
The diplomatic crisis deepened over the weekend, following multiple rounds of missile attacks between the two countries. Iran claims it targeted a technology park used by the Israeli military, while Israeli officials reported “extensive damage” to a major hospital in the south. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has since warned that Israel would “strike all the nuclear facilities” in Iran, according to CNN.
Beyond evacuation efforts, Mr. Ablakwa used his meeting with the Israeli Ambassador to address Ghana’s dissatisfaction with recent comments regarding the country’s position at international forums.
“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,” he stated.
He added, “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.”
Ghana recently abstained from a key vote at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that declared Iran in violation of its nuclear non-proliferation obligations. The vote — the first of its kind in nearly 20 years — was supported by 19 countries, opposed by three (Russia, China, and Burkina Faso), and saw 11 countries, including Ghana, abstain.
Although Israeli officials acknowledged Ghana’s abstention as legitimate due to its chairmanship of the IAEA Board of Governors, they also encouraged a reconsideration of the country’s neutral foreign policy stance.
In response, Mr. Ablakwa reaffirmed Ghana’s call for peace.
“Ghana demands that both countries cease fire and opt for a peaceful diplomatic resolution of their concerns,” he emphasized.
