President John Dramani Mahama says Ghana’s bid to join BRICS as a partner country is a deliberate plan to diversify development partnerships and strengthen South-South cooperation.
Speaking at the swearing-in of four ambassadors at the Jubilee House on Friday, October 16, 2026, the President said the move seeks to open up more opportunities for trade, investment, industrialization and value addition, without cutting ties with Ghana’s traditional partners.
“Ghana’s application for BRICS partnership shows our resolve to widen our development partnerships and deepen South-South cooperation,” President Mahama said.
He directed the envoys to clearly explain Ghana’s BRICS agenda to their host countries and other international partners as part of the country’s broader economic and foreign policy goals.
According to him, the current global order – marked by shifting alliances, rising trade barriers and fierce competition for technology and natural resources – requires Ghana to protect its policy independence while forging partnerships that boost productive capacity and competitiveness.
President Mahama said economic diplomacy must go beyond handshakes and MOUs to deliver tangible results for citizens.
He charged the missions to hunt for investors aligned with Ghana’s priorities, help local businesses enter new markets, and build links that promote research, skills training and technology transfer.
“Judge your economic diplomacy by the opportunities you bring to Ghana,” he told them.
He tasked them to follow through on investment proposals, identify bottlenecks and work with the Foreign Ministry and relevant agencies to fix them.
He cited the creation of the Ghana Gold Board and plans to process critical minerals like lithium, bauxite and manganese locally as part of efforts to retain more value from natural resources.
He wants the missions to attract the capital and expertise needed to convert raw materials into industries and sustainable jobs.
President Mahama stressed that expanding partnerships is not about abandoning old allies, but about broadening Ghana’s options in a complex and competitive world.
