GHANA · FOREIGN POLICY
Key Facts
- The country Ghana is a West African democracy and a major gold, cocoa and oil exporter.
- The background Ghana’s Cabinet approved a bid to join BRICS, a bloc of emerging economies, as a partner country.
- Why now Opposition critics questioned the BRICS move in October, and Mahama addressed its origin on 5 November.
- What happened On Thursday 5 November 2026 President Mahama said a committee under predecessor Akufo-Addo recommended the partnership.
- What it means for you Investors in Ghana’s gold, oil and cocoa face no change yet; admission needs consensus among BRICS members.
- Still open No date has been announced for a BRICS decision on Ghana’s application.
Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama said on Thursday 5 November 2026 that the idea of joining BRICS as a partner country began under his predecessor, Nana Akufo-Addo. He spoke at a meet-the-press session at Jubilee House, the presidential complex in Accra.
BRICS is a bloc of large emerging economies founded by Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining later, and it has since added members. A partner country is a lower tier that takes part in the bloc’s work without full membership.
What Mahama Said
Mahama said the ministerial committee that recommended Ghana accede to a BRICS partnership “was under Nana Akufo-Addo”. He added that his government did not create it and that it “was set up under the former NPP administration”.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is Akufo-Addo’s party and now Ghana’s main opposition. Mahama said Cabinet, the government’s top decision-making body, judged joining “a good idea” and approved it.
He also rejected suggestions that the move departs from Ghana’s foreign policy tradition, saying it fits the country’s long-standing non-alignment. He did not set a date for a BRICS decision.
How the Bid Reached This Point
Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced Cabinet’s approval on Tuesday 6 October 2026, at a press briefing in Accra with India’s foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. Ablakwa said Ghana would take “baby steps” to apply formally and stressed that “you must be admitted”.
In a television interview on Saturday 10 October 2026, Ablakwa answered criticism from the Minority in Parliament, the opposition bloc. He said the Akufo-Addo Cabinet set up a ministerial committee on 7 September 2023 that reported on 30 October 2023, and quoted it as advising Ghana to “express interest in joining” the bloc.
Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, said in late October that Russia “strongly supports” Ghana’s application and would rally the founding members behind it. Mahama attended the Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, where he called for an amicable end to the world’s conflicts.
Ablakwa has said the bid does not mean Ghana will move away from its traditional partners. The Foreign Ministry says membership would complement, not replace, existing development and financial partnerships.
What It Means for US Readers
A partner-country role is lighter than full membership, so on its face it does not reduce Ghana’s ties to the United States. It does signal that Accra wants more trade and investment options beyond Western lenders and markets.
Investors in Ghana’s gold, oil and cocoa sectors can watch whether the bid brings new deals with BRICS members. If Ablakwa’s account is right, the idea has backing from both main parties, which would make a reversal after a change of government less likely.
What Is Not Known
Whether the 2023 committee report will be published is not known, although Ablakwa quoted from it on 10 October. The Foreign Ministry can answer once Cabinet decides on release.
When BRICS members will decide on Ghana’s partner status is also unknown. India’s foreign minister said on 6 October that members will consider the application collectively, and they alone can answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Mahama say about BRICS?
He said a ministerial committee under former President Akufo-Addo recommended that Ghana join the BRICS partnership. His Cabinet then approved it, he said.
What is BRICS?
BRICS is a bloc of large emerging economies founded by Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining later. It has added members, and some countries take part as lower-tier partner countries.
Has Ghana been admitted to BRICS?
Not yet. Cabinet has approved the bid, but Ghana still has to be accepted by BRICS members.
Who is Akufo-Addo?
Nana Akufo-Addo was Ghana’s president before Mahama and belongs to the New Patriotic Party. Mahama says the committee on BRICS was set up under Akufo-Addo’s government.
Sources: Remarks by President John Dramani Mahama, Jubilee House, 5 November 2026; statements by Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, 6 and 10 October 2026. Releases of Ghana’s Foreign Ministry on the Indian visit and on Russia’s support, October and November 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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