Ghana is set to formally apply to join BRICS after Cabinet approved the country’s bid to become part of the bloc of major emerging economies.
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa disclosed the decision on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, during a joint press briefing in Accra with India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
Mr Ablakwa said the decision forms part of government’s broader strategy to diversify Ghana’s international partnerships, expand economic opportunities and strengthen cooperation with countries in the Global South.
He said Ghana’s application would now move into the formal process, with the country seeking the support of existing BRICS members.
“The Cabinet has approved” Ghana’s decision to join BRICS, Mr Ablakwa said, adding that the country would now take the necessary steps to formally apply for membership.
According to the Foreign Affairs Minister, India’s role will be particularly important in the process, given its membership of BRICS and Ghana’s longstanding diplomatic and economic relationship with New Delhi.
He said Ghana has already approached India for assistance with the application process and expressed confidence that the country could count on the support of its partners.
Mr Ablakwa explained that the decision is anchored in the government’s vision of diversifying Ghana’s international cooperation while pursuing what it describes as a new economic agenda.
He said joining BRICS would provide Ghana with “economic options” and create opportunities for deeper South-South cooperation.
The Foreign Affairs Minister also linked the decision to President John Dramani Mahama’s emphasis on resource sovereignty, arguing that Ghana must be able to pursue partnerships that support value addition, industrialisation and sustainable economic growth.
He stressed, however, that joining BRICS would not mean Ghana was abandoning its traditional international partners.
Rather, he said, the move was intended to broaden Ghana’s options and strengthen its ability to engage with a wider range of economic and development partners.
“We value that relationship, but we must have new friends,” Mr Ablakwa said, pointing to Ghana’s existing economic engagements with countries including India, Brazil and China.
He cited the growth in Ghana-India trade as an example of the economic opportunities that could be deepened through stronger engagement with BRICS countries.
Mr Ablakwa said Ghana also wants to move beyond the export of raw materials by working with international partners to add value to the country’s natural resources and promote industrialisation.
He maintained that Ghana would continue to participate in existing multilateral institutions, including the Bretton Woods institutions and African multilateral financial institutions.
For his part, India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, said India has been sympathetic to Ghana’s aspirations but noted that Ghana’s bid would ultimately require collective consideration by BRICS members.
BRICS was originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining in 2010. The grouping has since expanded to include additional emerging economies, including Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.
Ghana’s announcement therefore marks the beginning of a formal application process rather than an immediate admission into the bloc.
The government says the move is intended to create additional economic and diplomatic options for Ghana while deepening the country’s engagement with the Global South.
