Ghana Wants to Join BRICS

The announcement was made by Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, during a visit by his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

According to the Ghanaian minister, joining BRICS is part of the country’s strategy to diversify its economic and diplomatic partners and strengthen cooperation with other countries of the Global South.

“President John Dramani Mahama’s cabinet has decided that Ghana should submit an official application to join BRICS,” Ablakwa said.

The minister added that Ghana had requested the support of India, one of the group’s founding members, for its application.

Jaishankar expressed support for Ghana’s aspirations but noted that any membership bid would have to be considered by the BRICS group as a whole.

BRICS was initially formed by Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining in 2010.

In recent years, the group has expanded to include other countries, including Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia and Egypt, among others.

For the Ghanaian Government, possible membership could create new opportunities for economic cooperation, trade, investment and diplomatic relations with emerging economies.