Ghana Receives Five New Envoys as Ablakwa Reaffirms Commitment to Stronger International Relations

Ghana has received five newly designated diplomatic representatives from Nigeria, India, Lebanon, Australia and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), as the country continues to strengthen its relations with key international partners.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced the development in a post shared on his X page, where he said Ghana was delighted to welcome the new envoys and expressed confidence in their role in advancing the country’s diplomatic relationships.

According to Mr Ablakwa, he formally received the open letters of the five envoys in an atmosphere marked by honour, duty, warmth and friendship.

The newly designated representatives are:

H.E. Shehu Ilu Barde – Nigerian High Commissioner-Designate to Ghana.

H.E. Surinder Bhagat – Indian High Commissioner-Designate to Ghana.

H.E. Fouad Khazzaka – Lebanese Ambassador-Designate to Ghana.

H.E. Keara Shaw – Australian High Commissioner-Designate to Ghana.

H.E. Emmanuel Kalenzi – UNIDO Resident Representative to Ghana.

Mr Ablakwa said the arrival of the new diplomatic representatives presented an opportunity to further deepen Ghana’s longstanding partnerships and cooperation with the respective countries and international organisation.

The engagement with Nigeria is particularly significant given the longstanding historical, cultural, economic and people-to-people ties between Ghana and Nigeria. Both countries remain key partners within West Africa and continue to cooperate on regional and bilateral matters.

Ghana’s relationship with India also spans several areas, including trade, investment, education, development cooperation and diplomatic engagement. The appointment of a new Indian High Commissioner-Designate is therefore expected to provide an avenue for further strengthening those ties.

The new Lebanese Ambassador-Designate will represent Lebanon in Ghana at a time when both countries maintain diplomatic relations and cooperation across a range of areas.

Australia is another important partner for Ghana, with bilateral engagement covering development cooperation, education, governance and other areas of mutual interest. The designation of Keara Shaw as High Commissioner is expected to contribute to continued diplomatic engagement between the two countries.

Meanwhile, the appointment of Emmanuel Kalenzi as UNIDO Resident Representative underscores Ghana’s engagement with the United Nations agency responsible for promoting inclusive and sustainable industrial development.

Mr Ablakwa’s announcement forms part of Ghana’s broader diplomatic efforts under the current administration to deepen international partnerships and advance cooperation with countries and multilateral institutions.

The Foreign Affairs Minister also reaffirmed Ghana’s welcoming posture towards diplomatic representatives, stressing the importance of friendship and constructive engagement in moving the country’s international relations forward.

His post was accompanied by photographs of the engagements with the newly designated envoys.

The development comes as Ghana continues to position its diplomatic relations as an important tool for advancing national interests, strengthening economic partnerships and promoting cooperation on shared international and regional priorities.

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