The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced that Ghana’s Cabinet has approved the country’s bid to join BRICS.
Ablakwa made the announcement at a joint press briefing with India’s Foreign Minister, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, in Accra on Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
He said the decision aligns with President John Dramani Mahama’s vision of diversifying Ghana’s international partnerships as the government moves from economic stabilisation towards what it describes as the “New Economy”.
“The President Mahama-led administration believes that BRICS offers an incredible opportunity that aligns with his vision for economic growth,” Ablakwa said.
He said the Cabinet decision was also informed by the government’s focus on resource sovereignty and Ghana’s desire to pursue its development priorities without being constrained by conditionalities from a few international institutions.
“To anchor the President’s new economic vision, we believe that we must diversify our international cooperation,” he said.
Ablakwa stressed that Cabinet approval does not mean Ghana has automatically become a member of BRICS, noting that the country must now formally apply and secure the support of existing members.
“So, these are the reasons that went into the cabinet decision. But we are now going to take baby steps to formally apply and to seek the support. You know you have to be accepted. You must be admitted,” he said.
The Foreign Affairs Minister expressed confidence that Ghana could secure support for its application, citing the country’s strong diplomatic relations with BRICS members.
“We have excellent relations with all of them. They all have diplomatic missions here, and we know we can count on them to support Ghana’s bid,” he said.
BRICS was originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India and China before South Africa joined in 2010. The grouping has since expanded to include additional emerging economies and partner countries.
Ghana’s Cabinet approval is the first step towards the country formally seeking admission to the bloc.
