Ghana is moving to join BRICS, the grouping of major emerging economies. Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the cabinet of President John Dramani Mahama has decided to submit a formal application.
Ablakwa made the announcement during a meeting with India's Minister of External Affairs, Dr S. Jaishankar. He said he was disclosing the decision to Ghanaians for the first time.
"The President Mahama-led cabinet believes that we must diversify," Ablakwa said. He described the move as "a very strategic decision" and said Ghana has formally sought India's assistance with the application. He added that Accra is "quite pleased" with the response from Dr Jaishankar.
Ablakwa pointed to India's role as a founder of the bloc and to the long history of cooperation between the two countries. He said Ghana and India worked closely in multilateral forums in the 1960s and 70s, and that joining India in BRICS would give Ghana "economic options" and widen its partnerships. He also said it would deepen cooperation within the Global South framework, particularly South-South engagement.
What Ghana Would Gain from BRICS
Ghana's economy has long depended on a narrow set of Western creditors, lenders and trading partners. The country has returned to the International Monetary Fund several times, most recently after the 2022 debt crisis, and each programme has come with austerity conditions that weighed heavily on public spending.
BRICS membership would open additional options. The bloc's New Development Bank, based in Shanghai, finances infrastructure and development projects. Its Contingent Reserve Arrangement is designed to give members a financial backstop. Members are also exploring greater use of local currencies in trade, which could reduce Ghana's exposure to dollar-driven exchange-rate shocks.
What This Means for the Accra Reset
The decision fits the Mahama government's wider push to rebalance Ghana's economic and diplomatic relationships and to give the country more say in how global rules on debt, trade and finance are set. Joining BRICS would give Accra a seat in a forum where the Global South negotiates collectively, alongside the institutions where Western governments have traditionally set the terms.
It also echoes the non-aligned tradition of Kwame Nkrumah, who argued that political independence needed economic sovereignty to mean anything. The aim, officials suggest, is not to swap one dependency for another but to widen the number of doors Ghana can knock on.
A Shift in Global Weight
BRICS has expanded in recent years and now includes several African countries as members or partners. A larger and more diverse bloc gives developing economies greater bargaining power in negotiations over financing, commodity prices and global governance. For Ghana, a seat would add its voice to a growing African presence in the grouping.
What Happens Next
The cabinet has approved the decision, but Ghana has not yet been admitted. The application must still be formally submitted and accepted by BRICS members.
By; Sumaila Mohammed
Pan-African Progressive Front (PPF)