Ghana will apply to join BRICS as a partner country rather than seek full membership of the bloc, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said on Saturday, October 10, 2026. He made the clarification on TV3’s Key Points programme, days after announcing that the Mahama Cabinet had approved Ghana’s bid to join the group.
“We want to start as a partner country, and then we will gradually progress into full membership as the situation evolves,” Mr Ablakwa said, according to 3News.
The clarification comes after the Minority in Parliament questioned why Ghana was pursuing full membership instead of the partner-country route taken by Nigeria. It also follows the minister’s first announcement on October 6, made during the visit of India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
At the time, Mr Ablakwa said “the Cabinet of President John Dramani Mahama has decided that Ghana will be joining BRICS,” as reported in our earlier story, Ghana to Apply to Join BRICS as Mahama Cabinet Approves Bid.
Ghana BRICS bid: partner country first, full membership later
Mr Ablakwa said Ghana is “not seeking full membership of BRICS” for now and intends to apply as a partner country.
If the bid succeeds, Ghana would hold the same status as the countries that joined BRICS as partners in 2025. Citi Newsroom lists Malaysia, Nigeria, Uganda and Vietnam among the bloc’s partner countries.
Partner status would give Ghana a formal channel to engage BRICS members on regional and global issues, especially political and economic governance, without becoming a full member.
Why Ghana wants to join BRICS, according to Ablakwa
The minister said the decision is rooted in national interest and cited Article 40 of the 1992 Constitution, which guides Ghana’s international relations.
He described BRICS members as “natural allies” and said Ghana already enjoys excellent relations with them. He also said joining “will give us economic options, will diversify our base and our partnerships.”
Mr Ablakwa said the move affirms Ghana’s long-standing policy of non-alignment. He pointed to Kwame Nkrumah’s government, which secured US support for the Akosombo Dam while working with the Soviet Union on Ghana’s atomic energy programme.
Ghana to Apply for BRICS Partner-Country Status, Not Full Membership – Ablakwa [VIDEO]
Ablakwa says EU partners were consulted before BRICS announcement
The minister dismissed fears that the BRICS bid could hurt Ghana’s ties with Western partners.
He said the government engaged European Union member states before the announcement, explained its reasons and assured them Ghana was not stepping back from existing relationships. Ghana, he said, has the right to “diversify strategic options for development.”
Minority demands parliamentary briefing on BRICS move
The Minority, through Samuel Abu Jinapor, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, has called for an urgent briefing once the House resumes.
“We acknowledge that this decision may come with some benefits to our country,” Mr Jinapor told Citi News, but he said Parliament should assess the economic, diplomatic and national-interest implications before an application is submitted.
The Minority also wants Parliament to examine the conditions attached to BRICS-linked financing. It asked why Ghana was not following Nigeria, which is a BRICS partner country and a member of the New Development Bank.
Ablakwa: Akufo-Addo cabinet also considered BRICS membership
On the same programme, Mr Ablakwa described the Minority’s criticism as “disingenuous and dishonest,” Graphic Online reported.
He cited a cabinet memo dated September 11, 2023, titled “Growing Membership of BRICS,” under the Akufo-Addo administration. According to him, that cabinet set up a ministerial committee to “examine the merits and demerits of joining the BRICS.”
He said the committee reported on October 30, 2023, and reached the same conclusion as the current government. A separate technical committee chaired by Kwabena Osei-Dankwa reported in October 2023 with similar recommendations, he added.
How Ghana’s BRICS position has evolved
- September 11, 2023: Akufo-Addo cabinet memo on BRICS membership, according to Ablakwa
- October 30, 2023: Ministerial committee submits its report on joining BRICS
- October 6, 2026: Ablakwa announces Cabinet decision for Ghana to join BRICS
- October 8, 2026: Minority demands urgent parliamentary briefing and asks why Ghana is not seeking partner status
- October 10, 2026: Ablakwa clarifies Ghana will apply as a partner country first, with full membership as a later goal
Who is in BRICS?
BRICS began as BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China), holding its first summit in Russia in 2009. South Africa joined in 2011.
Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates joined in 2024, and Indonesia became a full member in January 2025. India’s Dr Jaishankar welcomed Ghana’s interest during his visit but noted that expansion requires consensus among existing members, MyJoyOnline reported.
What BRICS partner status means for Ghanaians
The government says the move is meant to widen Ghana’s economic and development options and deepen South-South cooperation.
Ghana and India have already signed two memoranda of understanding covering agriculture and science and technology, with further cooperation planned in railways, pharmaceuticals, ICT and defence. The Minority, however, wants clarity on the costs, financing conditions and diplomatic implications before Ghana commits.
What happens next
Ghana is expected to submit its application for partner-country status, and the government has asked India to support the bid. Admission depends on consensus among existing BRICS members.
The Minority wants the Foreign Affairs Minister to brief Parliament as a matter of urgency when it resumes. No timeline for the application has been announced.
Key details at a glance
- Ghana will apply for BRICS partner-country status, not full membership.
- Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa made the clarification on TV3’s Key Points on October 10, 2026.
- The government says full membership could follow “as the situation evolves.”
- Ablakwa cited Article 40 of the 1992 Constitution and Ghana’s non-alignment policy.
- EU member states were engaged before the announcement, the minister said.
- The Minority wants an urgent parliamentary briefing on the decision.
- Ablakwa says the Akufo-Addo cabinet also studied BRICS membership in 2023.
FAQs
Is Ghana joining BRICS as a full member?
No. Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says Ghana will first apply as a partner country and may progress to full membership later.
Why does Ghana want to join BRICS?
The government says BRICS partnership will give Ghana more economic options, diversify its partnerships and strengthen South-South cooperation, in line with its non-alignment policy.
Which African countries are BRICS partners?
Nigeria and Uganda are among the bloc’s partner countries, while South Africa, Egypt and Ethiopia are full members.
Ghana’s BRICS bid has shifted from talk of joining the bloc outright to a more gradual partner-country approach, with Mr Ablakwa insisting the move serves national interest and will not damage ties with traditional partners. Details are available from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Minority’s call for a parliamentary briefing means the debate is likely to continue when the House resumes.
