The Minister-Designate for Foreign Affairs Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has been vetted by the Appointments Committee of Parliament. His session addressed key issues, including his ideological leanings, Ghana’s foreign policy stance, and his positions on major geopolitical conflicts within the sub-regions and that of the middle East.
Throughout the vetting, Hon. Ablakwa sought to assure the committee of his commitment to objectivity, national interest, and Ghana’s nonaligned foreign policy.
A significant part of the vetting focused on Hon. Ablakwa’s ideological leanings. The nominee did not hesitate to affirm his political orientation, stating;
“Let me place on record that I’m not a communist. Of course, I am left of center. All of us in the NDC subscribe to the left-of-center political ideology, which we are very, very proud of.”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa Minister-Designate for Foreign Affairs
He emphasized that the NDC believes in a welfare state and economic policies that do not encourage exploitation by a privileged few. He also pointed out that President John Dramani Mahama had consistently upheld this ideology, wearing it “proudly.”
Despite his ideological stance, Hon. Ablakwa reiterated that his foreign policy decisions would be objective and rooted in Ghana’s national interest as prescribed by Article 40 of the Constitution.
He further drew parallels with Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, who skillfully navigated Cold War geopolitics while maintaining diplomatic relations. He emphasized;
“Kwame Nkrumah was on the left, but he managed to, at the height of the Cold War, a bipolar era, still get the Americans to support him in the construction of the Akosombo Dam and the Russians to help him in building our atomic agency. So that model is what we must adopt.”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa Minister-Designate for Foreign Affairs
Balancing Relations in Global Geopolitics
A key question posed by Hon. Abu Jinapor concerned Hon. Ablakwa’s past statements on global conflicts, specifically the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The nominee was asked how he would manage these complex issues, given his previous criticisms of the West’s role in Ukraine and his comments on Israel’s actions in Palestine.
In response, Ablakwa firmly rejected the claim that he had taken sides in these conflicts. He maintained that his previous remarks had been mischaracterized and taken out of context.
To support his claim of neutrality, he revealed his relationship status with both Russia and Ukraine, stating;
“The Russians invited me, and I was a guest in their parliament. There was a second invitation where I went with former President Mahama to launch his book at the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Russian translation. And then the Ukrainians invited me—I spent a week there, touring Kiev and other places. We went to the landmines, and I helped them to even demine some of the Russian mines that had been left in Ukraine.”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa Minister-Designate for Foreign Affairs
Similarly, he pointed out his relationship with that of Israeli and Palestinian officials, stating;
“Israel has invited me on a number of occasions; the Palestinians have also done that. Indeed, the Palestinian ambassador in Ghana is one of my very good friends, and so is the Israeli ambassador.”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa Minister-Designate for Foreign Affairs
He assured the committee that he would approach international diplomacy with fairness, pragmatism, and strict adherence to international law.
Hon. Ablakwa reiterated Ghana’s long-standing foreign policy tradition of nonalignment and respect for international law. He referenced Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s 1959 foreign policy speech to Parliament, in which Nkrumah declared Ghana would not be a “passive spectator” on matters of international concern.
The nominee emphasized that Ghana’s diplomatic posture should be principled rather than opportunistic. He added;
“When you commit genocide, when you commit atrocities against women and children, we will point it out to you, and it does not make us bad friends. It rather makes us very good friends.”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa Minister-Designate for Foreign Affairs
His position aligns with Ghana’s historical commitment to promoting peace, justice, and respect for human rights in global affairs.
Experience in Foreign Relations, Objective Position
To further assure the committee of his diplomatic capabilities, Hon. Ablakwa highlighted his experience in international engagements. He reiterated;
“Note from my CV that in the 8th Parliament, I was chair of the Ghana-Cuba Parliamentary Friendship Association but also very active in our US-Ghana Parliamentary Friendship Association. Indeed, a proud member of the American Council of Young Political Leaders.”
“There are few of us who struggle and who are liked by all sides because we are very objective in our dealings. So be rest assured, I consider myself a good friend of all the forces at play in the global arena.”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa Minister-Designate for Foreign Affairs
Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa’s vetting session reaffirmed his commitment to Ghana’s nonaligned foreign policy and objective diplomacy. He addressed concerns about his ideological stance and past statements on global conflicts, emphasizing that his approach would be fair and pragmatic.
His diplomatic engagements with Russia, Ukraine, Israel, and Palestine demonstrated his ability to balance relations with opposing sides. Additionally, his references to Kwame Nkrumah’s diplomatic model reinforced his vision for Ghana’s foreign policy.
As the nominee concluded his responses, Hon. Abu Jinapor acknowledged the clarity and reassurance in his submissions.
With this vetting, Hon. Ablakwa made a strong case for his approval as Minister for Foreign Affairs, pledging to serve with objectivity, integrity, and a firm commitment to Ghana’s national interest.
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