The government of Ghana has initiated an emergency evacuation of its citizens from Qatar as tensions escalate across the Middle East following the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.
The decision was announced on March 15, 2026, in a statement issued by the Embassy of the Republic of Ghana in Qatar.
According to the embassy, Ghanaians in Qatar who wish to be evacuated are required to confirm their interest by submitting the biodata pages of their passports via email to the embassy to facilitate the process.
What they are saying
The embassy stated that the evacuation plan was introduced due to heightened security concerns in the region and is intended to ensure the safety of Ghanaian nationals living in Qatar.
- “The Government of the Republic of Ghana has decided to undertake an emergency evacuation exercise in Qatar in the wake of the heightened security situation in the region,” the statement said.
The mission also clarified that the arrangement would only allow for a one-way evacuation to Ghana and urged citizens interested in leaving Qatar to confirm their participation promptly.
- “It is noted that this arrangement is strictly a one-way evacuation exercise to Ghana. Accordingly, Ghanaians in Qatar who wish to be evacuated immediately from Qatar to Ghana are kindly requested to re-confirm their interest by submitting the biodata pages of their passports by email.”
Backstory
The evacuation move comes as several countries begin taking precautionary steps to protect their nationals abroad amid the escalating war between Iran and the combined forces of Israel and the United States, which has heightened tensions across the Middle East.
- On March 14, authorities in the United Arab Emirates reported that nationals from multiple countries were injured following an alleged attack linked to Iran.
- In a statement titled ‘UAE air defences engage 9 ballistic missiles, 33 UAVs,’ the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence said the attacks resulted in six fatalities involving citizens from several countries and injuries to more than 100 people from different nationalities, including Ghana and Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Nigeria had earlier released emergency contact details for its diplomatic missions across the Middle East to assist citizens affected by the ongoing conflict.
What you should know
The conflict has rapidly escalated across the Middle East and Gulf region, raising fears about the safety of civilians and foreign nationals.
- In Qatar, authorities reported intercepting multiple projectiles during recent attacks linked to Iran.
- According to available data, Qatar detected 127 ballistic missiles, intercepting 118, while 63 drones were detected, with 47 intercepted. Additionally, seven cruise missiles were detected and neutralised, while two Sukhoi Su-24 aircraft were also detected and intercepted.
Despite growing tensions, diplomatic efforts are ongoing. Recently, Emmanuel Macron said he had spoken with Massoud Pezeshkian, urging him to halt what he described as “unacceptable attacks” carried out by Iran or its proxies across the region.
However, it remains uncertain when the conflict will de-escalate as hostilities continue across several parts of the Middle East.
