Respect Our Sovereign Rights – Ablakwa Tells Israel Ambassador To Ghana

Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has strongly criticized recent remarks made by Israel’s Ambassador to Ghana, Roey Gilad, concerning Ghana’s abstention from a vote on Iran at an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meeting in Vienna.

While Ambassador Gilad acknowledged Ghana’s right to abstain, he questioned whether this decision served Ghana’s best interest. He also suggested that Ghana should reconsider its traditional non-aligned foreign policy, claiming it is overly influenced by the African Union and the Arab League. He called for what he described as a more “balanced” stance on global matters.

In response, Ablakwa said he officially expressed Ghana’s displeasure during a meeting with the ambassador. Posting on social media platform X, Ablakwa emphasized that Ghana’s decisions in international affairs are guided by the Constitution and its longstanding foreign policy, which values neutrality, peace, multilateralism, and international law. He insisted that Ghana’s choices reflect its national interests and must be respected.

Ablakwa also took the opportunity to reiterate Ghana’s call for both Israel and its opponents to commit to a ceasefire and choose dialogue over conflict.

Veteran journalist and editor of The Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, also weighed in with a scathing critique of Ambassador Gilad. Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana, Pratt described the ambassador’s comments as arrogant and insulting. He questioned why a foreign diplomat would attempt to define what’s best for Ghana, arguing that only Ghanaians have the right to make such judgments. He further challenged the government to take a strong stand and protect the country’s sovereignty and dignity.