Ghana’s Decision to Apply to BRICS Is as a Partner Country — Okudzeto Ablakwa Clarifies
Minister for Foreign Affairs Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has clarified that Ghana intends to apply to BRICS as a Partner Country and not as a full member. He made the clarification in an exclusive interview on Key Points, a Saturday morning TV talk show on TV3, on October 10, 2026.
Furthermore, he stressed that at the heart of the decision is the desire to seek the national interest first, as enshrined in Article 40 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. He added that Ghana already enjoys excellent relations with BRICS member countries and will therefore be joining natural allies in arguably the world’s largest trading bloc today.
BRICS Is a Platform for Consultation on Global Issues
Okudzeto Ablakwa explained that BRICS brings together eleven major emerging markets and developing countries including Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.
Therefore, he said it will serve as a useful platform for consultation and cooperation on contemporary issues of global political and economic governance.
Moreover, he dispelled fears that the decision will damage Ghana’s relations with its traditional partner countries who have ideological differences with BRICS member countries. He said on the contrary, the decision affirms Ghana’s longstanding policy of non-alignment.
Ghana’s Non-Alignment Policy Has Historical Roots
Okudzeto Ablakwa drew a historical parallel to explain Ghana’s non-alignment position on BRICS membership. He pointed to President Kwame Nkrumah who, at the height of the Cold War, navigated the terrain to secure US support to build the Akosombo Dam while simultaneously getting the Soviet Union to launch Africa’s pioneering atomic energy programme, the Ghana Nuclear Reactor Project.
In addition, he disclosed that prior to the announcement, Ghana engaged with European Union member states and clearly communicated the rationale for its decision. He stressed that joining BRICS as a Partner Country does not mean Ghana seeks to disengage from its traditional partners.
Ghana to Join Other Partner Countries If Bid Succeeds
BRIC was formalised at the first meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in 2006. South Africa joined to form BRICS in 2011, while Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE became full members from January 2024 and Indonesia in January 2025.
Furthermore, Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam joined BRICS as Partner Countries in 2025. As a result, if Ghana’s bid succeeds, it will join this group of Partner Countries rather than becoming a full member of the bloc.