Accra, Ghana – March 3, 2026 – Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has commended the staff of Ghana’s Embassy in the United Arab Emirates for their “remarkable patriotism, courage, compassion and professionalism” in providing ongoing consular support and ensuring the safety of the Black Queens national women’s football team, who remain stranded in Sharjah amid the escalating Israel-Iran conflict.

In a Facebook post on March 3, 2026, Minister Ablakwa highlighted the embassy’s efforts to look after the 25 players and 16 officials of the senior women’s national team, who have been confined to the Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Sharjah since UAE airspace was closed following Iranian missile strikes on parts of Dubai on February 28.

The squad arrived in Dubai on February 25 for the Pink Ladies’ Cup preparatory tournament ahead of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. They opened with a 4–0 win over Hong Kong but have been unable to play their remaining matches or return home due to widespread flight cancellations across the Gulf.

“No Ghanaian would be abandoned in harm’s way,” the minister declared, reaffirming the government’s commitment to the safety of all citizens abroad.

The embassy has been in constant contact with the team, offering guidance, logistical support, and coordination with UAE authorities as the regional situation remains fluid.

The Foreign Ministry continues to advise Ghanaians in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and other affected countries to shelter in place, avoid unnecessary movement, steer clear of military sites and crowded areas, and register with diplomatic missions. Emergency contact lines remain active: +233 240 913 284 / +233 240 793 072.

The partial resumption of limited flights by Emirates and Etihad from Dubai and Abu Dhabi on March 2–3 has raised hopes for eventual repatriation, but major carriers have not yet announced full schedules, and airspace restrictions persist in several Gulf states.

The Black Queens’ predicament has drawn widespread sympathy in Ghana, with fans, sports authorities, and the public calling for swift government action to secure safe passage home and minimize disruption to their WAFCON preparations.

Accra, Ghana – March 3, 2026 – The United States under President Donald Trump has dramatically reshaped its global health engagement in Africa, replacing large multilateral aid programmes with stricter, performance-based bilateral agreements that require partner countries to increase domestic health spending and meet specific benchmarks in return for multi-year funding.

At least 17 African nations have now signed onto these deals, which focus on HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, maternal and child health, disease surveillance, and epidemic preparedness.

U.S. officials describe the model as a pathway to greater accountability, national ownership, and reduced long-term aid dependency. Critics, including public health advocates and some Africa CDC voices, warn that the conditions—particularly extensive data/pathogen-sharing clauses and co-financing requirements—could strain already stretched budgets, erode sovereignty, and shift financial risk onto African governments.

Here is the current list of confirmed signatories, based on reporting from Reuters, AP News, Business Insider Africa, and U.S. State Department announcements:

Kenya – First to sign (December 2025), securing over $1.6 billion with commitments to significantly boost domestic health spending.

Rwanda – Fast-tracked participation focused on infectious disease control and health system strengthening.

Liberia – Post-Ebola emphasis on epidemic preparedness and co-financing adjustments.

Uganda – Package reportedly worth up to $1.7 billion over five years, requiring roughly $500 million in domestic contributions.

Lesotho – Targets HIV treatment stability in a high-prevalence setting.

Eswatini – Aims to secure predictable funding for one of the world’s highest HIV burdens.

Mozambique – Focus on malaria, HIV, and fragile health infrastructure.

Cameroon – Expansion into Central Africa with emphasis on malaria and maternal mortality.

Nigeria – Notable for emphasis on faith-based health providers, sparking inclusivity debates.

Madagascar – Targets infectious disease control and system support.

Sierra Leone – Post-Ebola resilience and maternal health priorities.

Botswana – Transition from donor dependence toward domestic ownership.

Ethiopia – Large-scale implementation amid post-conflict health system rebuilding.

Côte d’Ivoire – Approximately $480 million to support HIV, malaria, and maternal health.

Burkina Faso – $147 million U.S. assistance over five years with focus on primary care and surveillance in the Sahel.

Republic of Niger – $107 million U.S. funding matched by $71 million domestic commitment, emphasizing surveillance and maternal/child health.

Democratic Republic of Congo – Major package ($900 million U.S. + $300 million domestic over 2026–2031) targeting HIV, TB, malaria, polio, and emergency preparedness.

The agreements represent one of the most significant restructurings of U.S. health aid in Africa in decades, moving away from traditional channels like USAID and the Global Fund toward transactional, bilateral compacts with clear performance metrics. While Washington frames this as a push for sustainability, concerns remain about data sovereignty, fiscal pressure on low-resource governments, and the potential exclusion of certain community providers under some clauses.

Implementation will be closely watched across the continent, as success or failure could influence future U.S.-Africa health cooperation and Africa’s broader push for health self-reliance.

Arusha, Tanzania / Accra, Ghana – March 2, 2026 – President John Dramani Mahama has expressed grave concern over the escalating military conflict in the Middle East.

Ghana’s president is warning that the recent US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran and Iran’s retaliatory missile attacks on Gulf countries threaten to inflict serious economic hardship on African nations, particularly through surging oil prices and disrupted global supply chains.

Speaking during a bilateral meeting with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the State House in Arusha on Monday, March 2, President Mahama described the situation as alarming.

“We are watching the geopolitical events with alarm,” he said. “Recently, just two days ago, attacks on Iran by the US and Israel and counter-attacks by Iran on the Gulf countries is creating new geopolitical events.”

He stated that the Middle East remains the epicenter of global oil supplies, and prolonged instability could push crude prices well above sustainable levels for oil-importing African economies.

“When crude oil prices rise above a certain level, it has a negative effect on African countries,” the President cautioned. He stressed the need for proactive measures: “We know that these shocks will come. But when they come, we must prepare ourselves to make sure that our people are protected.”

President Mahama called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to dialogue, urging all parties to prioritize peace to avoid broader regional and global fallout.

The remarks came during his visit to Tanzania for the official opening of the 2026 Judicial Year and 20th Anniversary celebrations of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, where he delivered the keynote address.

In the bilateral talks, he also advanced Ghana’s reparations agenda, announcing that Ghana will table a resolution at the United Nations General Assembly on March 25, 2026, to recognize the transatlantic slave trade as “the gravest crime against humanity.” The resolution, unanimously passed at the 39th African Union Summit, will be supported by a high-level event chaired by Tanzania on March 24.

As AU Champion on Reparations, President Mahama noted that the AU declared 2025 the Year of Reparative Justice and extended it into a Decade of Reparations. He expressed gratitude for Tanzania’s support and urged more African countries to ratify the Protocol establishing the African Court, describing it as an institution “Africans can be proud of” for upholding human and peoples’ rights.

The President was accompanied by Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Ghana’s Ambassador to Kenya (concurrently accredited to Tanzania).

The warnings on Middle East tensions underscore Ghana’s vulnerability as a net oil importer, where fuel price shocks quickly translate into higher transport costs, food inflation, and pressure on household budgets.

With global oil markets already jittery, African leaders are increasingly focused on energy diversification, strategic reserves, and diplomatic efforts to shield the continent from external shocks.