Sahara: Ghana Reaffirms Its Position and Maintains Withdrawal of Recognition of the RASD

Wednesday 16 September 2026 - 08:11

Ghana has once again clarified its position on the Sahara issue following the circulation of information suggesting that a recent diplomatic meeting in Accra represented a shift in its policy towards the RASD. In a statement relayed through its official channels, the Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs asserts that the decision made on January 6, 2025, to withdraw recognition of the RASD remains in effect.

This clarification comes after a meeting granted by Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa to a representative of the Polisario Front. According to Ghanaian diplomacy, the individual received did not hold the status of an accredited ambassador to Ghana, contrary to what had been presented in some communications.

Accra Maintains Its January 2025 Decision

The Ghanaian ministry thus reminds that the withdrawal of recognition of the RASD announced in January 2025 has not been revoked. The institution aims, through this clarification, to dissociate the reception of a representative from a movement or stakeholder from the diplomatic recognition of an entity.

The position expressed by Accra aligns with the foreign policy conducted by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, currently headed by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. The official website of Ghanaian diplomacy confirms its mandate and presents the ministry as the body responsible for formulating and coordinating the country's foreign policy.

Highlighting the United Nations Process

In its communication, Ghanaian diplomacy also reaffirms its support for the process led under the auspices of the United Nations regarding the dispute surrounding the Sahara.

The Ghanaian government particularly emphasizes the UN dynamics and the Moroccan proposal for autonomy, presented in the communication as the basis for negotiations aimed at achieving a political solution to the dispute.

This reference to the multilateral framework comes as Accra simultaneously affirms its decision regarding the recognition of the RASD. The two elements are thus presented by Ghanaian authorities as part of their current diplomatic position.

A Diplomatic Meeting at the Center of Controversy

At the heart of the controversy is the meeting between Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and an envoy from the Polisario Front. Ghanaian diplomacy insists on the nature of this meeting and refutes the designation of "ambassador" attributed to its interlocutor.

This clarification is important from a diplomatic standpoint: receiving a representative does not, in itself, constitute official recognition of an entity or the establishment of diplomatic relations with it. In this case, the Ghanaian ministry intends to remind that the audience does not alter the decision made in January 2025.

Accra Continues Its Regional Diplomacy

This stance comes in a context where Ghana displays sustained diplomatic activity on African and international issues. At the end of August, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa notably participated in a special session of the Executive Council of the African Union dedicated to conflict prevention and resolution. On this occasion, he called on African states to address the structural causes of conflicts and to prioritize political solutions.

The Ghanaian ministry also reaffirmed, during a meeting with representatives of the Gulf Cooperation Council in April 2026, Ghana's commitment to respecting the territorial integrity of states and to an international order based on rules.

The statement published in Accra thus clarifies, in the Sahara file, the scope that the Ghanaian government intends to give to its diplomatic contacts: the meeting with an envoy from the Polisario Front does not undermine, according to the ministry, the withdrawal of recognition of the RASD decided on January 6, 2025.