Ghana has taken firm diplomatic action after three of its citizens were deported from Israel under what officials described as unfair and unacceptable conditions. The Ghanaians — including members of a parliamentary delegation travelling for a cybersecurity conference — were detained upon arrival on 7 December, and three were later sent back without clear justification. In a reciprocal move, the Ghanaian government ordered the removal of three Israelis who had recently entered the country, signalling that it will not tolerate disrespect toward its nationals abroad. Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister confirmed that Israel’s chargé d’affaires in Accra was summoned for discussions, stressing that while Ghana values its relationship with Israel, mutual respect for travellers is non-negotiable. Both countries are now working diplomatically to calm rising tensions and restore normal relations. #Ghana #Israel #Diplomacy #ForeignAffairs

Nigerian Embassies Struggle With Unpaid Rent, Salary Arrears – FG The Federal Government has admitted that several Nigerian diplomatic and consular missions abroad are grappling with financial and operational difficulties, including unpaid staff salaries, rent arrears, and mounting debts to service providers. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, noting that the challenges have hindered the smooth running of missions in different countries. He explained that budgetary shortfalls over the years were responsible for the situation, which has significantly affected the embassies’ ability to deliver on their core diplomatic and consular duties. “The ministry is not unaware of the restrictions that financial limitations have placed on the smooth running of the missions, including the inability to pay salaries of locally recruited staff, financial obligations to service providers, rent to landlords, and the foreign service allowance to home-based officers,” Ebienfa stated. The ministry, however, assured that President Bola Tinubu’s administration had approved intervention funds and set up a committee to verify and settle outstanding debts. It added that over 80% of available funds had been cleared for payments, prioritising service providers, staff salaries, and arrears owed to officers. Ebienfa further disclosed that efforts were ongoing to establish a sustainable financial model for embassies abroad, alongside wider reforms aimed at strengthening fiscal governance. Source: Channels TV #Nigeria #Diplomacy #ForeignAffairs