Ghana’s top diplomat makes rare Kyiv visit over POW case

Ukraine has received Ghana’s Foreign Minister on a rare visit to the country on February 25, in part driven by concerns over two Ghanaian prisoners of war captured while fighting for Russia.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa was welcomed by his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, who noted in a statement that the trip marks the first visit by an African minister since the start of the war in 2022, Caliber.Az reports.

During his stay, the Ghanaian diplomat is also expected to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Speaking to reporters, Ablakwa said he was hopeful that the Ukrainian leader would be “magnanimous and compassionate” regarding the case of the two POWs.

Ukraine released figures on the same day showing that more than 1,780 citizens from 36 African countries — including Ghana — had been identified among Russian forces, with some taken captive.

Foreign Minister Sybiha assured his colleague that Ukraine is strictly adhering to the Geneva Conventions and would grant Ghanaian diplomats access to their nationals. 

While reaffirming Kyiv’s readiness to cooperate in resolving the matter in line with international law, Sybiha said in a social media post that Ukraine is urging Accra and other African capitals to take active steps to prevent the recruitment of their citizens into Russia’s army.

By Nazrin Sadigova