The new Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Roey Gilad, has arrived in the country to start his duty as new Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

He replaces Ms Shlomit Sufa, who ended her tour of duty in Ghana in July 2024.

Ambassador Gilad comes to Ghana with over 30 years of diplomatic experience according to a press statement issued in Accra by the Israeli Embassy, Mr Gilad rep­resented the State of Israel in countries such as Kenya, Jordan, UK, USA and Turkiye.

It said, prior to his appointment Mr Gilad served at the Center for Policy Research at Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Additionally, he was the Director of Export Control at the Ministry, as well as man other duties in the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

Leveraging on his long diplomatic service, the new Israeli Ambassador looks forward to deepen the relations between the State of Israel and Ghana on government to government, business to business and people to people levels. "I am looking forward to represent the State of Israel in Ghana which is known to have a stable and strong bilateral relations with Israel.

I am coming to Ghana at a time when Israel is facing unprecedented challenges.

As part of my role, I would like to brief the leadership and people of Ghana about these challenges." Mr Roey Gilad holds a Bachelors' degree in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Tel Aviv, Masters' degree in Middle East­ern Studies from the Hebrew University and a postgraduate degree in National Security from the Israeli Military College for National Defense in Haifa University.

He is an avid marathon runner who has completed 12 marathons all over the world.

Ambassador Gilad is married to Nitza Gilad and they have a daughter, Avigail Gilad.

Ghana was the first African country to establish diplo­matic relations with the State of Israel, the second state in Africa to have an Israeli embassy and the first African state to have a state visit by Israel's former Foreign Minister Golda Meir in 1958.

In 2011, the State of Israel reopened its Embassy in Accra, which has since strengthened the relations between Israel and Ghana.