Credit: Kekeli K. Blamey
The Ambassador of Israel to Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, Mr. Roey Gilad, has expressed optimism about the future of Ghana-Israel relations under the administration of President-elect John Dramani Mahama. Speaking at the end-of-year gathering of MASHAV alumni in Accra, Mr. Gilad emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries.
According to Mr. Gilad, the relationship between Ghana and Israel has been warm since Ghana’s independence in 1957. He cited strong popular support in Ghanaian churches, universities, markets, and streets. However, he noted that this support doesn’t always translate to Ghana’s voting patterns in international forums, indicating room for improvement.
“We have been enjoying a very strong popular support in the churches, universities, markets, and streets. However, this support does not always reflect in the way Ghana votes in international forums. So, I think there is some room for improvement,” Mr. Gilad said. Israel is keen to share its expertise with Ghana in areas like disaster management, food security, agriculture, and climate change through MASHAV’s development programs.
MASHAV is an Israeli Agency for International Development Cooperation at Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, established in 1958 to offer assistance to fellow nations to overcome development challenges by sharing knowledge and technologies. Mr. Gilad urged Ghanaian alumni of MASHAV programs to apply their knowledge to make a positive impact in their communities.
“We are happy to share our experiences in various fields with Ghana through MASHAV’s development corporation programs. We urge you to make an impact in your communities and the country as a whole by applying the knowledge obtained from MASHAV,” he said. Despite facing challenges due to the Gaza war, Mr. Gilad expressed optimism about the future of MASHAV programs in Ghana.
He emphasized that Ghana remains a central location for Israel’s capacity-building investments. “Ghana will still be our central place of investment in capacity building,” he said.
The Ambassador also called for increased support from Ghana in international forums and encouraged Ghanaians to express their support for Israel on social media platforms.
MASHAV Coordinator, Ms. Gloria Amoo, reported a 140-person increase in the program’s registered alumni base since 2021. However, she noted that seven MASHAV courses were cancelled last year due to the Gaza war.
Presentations by MASHAV alumni showcased the positive impact of the program in areas like disaster management, community resilience, and intensive fish farming. The presenters included Dr. Ernest Asiedu, Health and Pandemics Analyst, National Centre for Coordination of Early Warning and Response Mechanism, and Rev. Dr. Ebenezer Tetteh Kpalam, Pentecost University.
Other presenters were Mr. Peter Fofie Junior, NADMO Zonal Coordinator for Adjabeng in the Korley Klottey Municipal Assembly, and Dr. Kwadwo Kesse Mireku, Lecturer of Aquaculture, Aquatic Environmental Science, University of Cape Coast. The event brought together MASHAV alumni, government officials, and other stakeholders to discuss ways to strengthen Ghana-Israel relations and promote development in Ghana.
