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Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has renewed Ghana’s call for credible investigations and sanctions following the March 2026 attack on Ghanaian peacekeepers serving in Lebanon.
The Foreign Affairs Minister made the call after participating in a ministerial session on peacekeeping reforms held in Rabat on Thursday, May 21, at the invitation of the foreign ministers of Morocco and France.
The meeting brought together foreign ministers, United Nations officials, and peacekeeping experts to discuss the future of global peace operations amid declining financial support for international missions.
On March 6, the Ghanaian Battalion Headquarters serving under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) came under missile attack during heightened tensions between the Israel Defense Forces and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
The attack left two Ghanaian soldiers critically injured, while another officer reportedly suffered psychological trauma. The strike also destroyed the camp’s Officers’ Mess, which was completely burnt.
According to Mr. Ablakwa, participants at the Rabat meeting issued a communique stressing the urgent need to safeguard peace operations, particularly in protecting vulnerable populations affected by conflict.
“I renewed Ghana’s demand for credible investigations and sanctions following the March attack of our peacekeepers in Lebanon,” the minister stated.
Mr. Ablakwa disclosed that he chaired the ministerial panel on peacekeeping training strategies, where he highlighted Ghana’s longstanding contribution to international peacekeeping missions.
He also used the occasion to celebrate Anita Asmah, describing her as Africa’s first female United Nations peacekeeping Head of Mission and Force Commander.
The minister called for increased participation of women in peacekeeping operations, noting that female representation currently stands at about 10 percent globally.
“The current 10% female participation cannot be our best,” he said.
As a member of the Governing Council of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Mr. Ablakwa praised the institution for promoting professional, multicultural, and gender-inclusive peacekeeping training.
He further reaffirmed Ghana’s support for United Nations Security Council Resolution 2719 and pledged that the country would continue to uphold its reputation as one of the world’s leading troop-contributing nations.
Mr. Ablakwa noted that Ghana’s peacekeeping history dates back to its first deployment in 1960.
“We remain absolutely proud of our blue berets and salute them for their extraordinary bravery in protecting the vulnerable across numerous theatres of conflict,” he stated.
