Ghana wants to join BRICS. What would membership deliver? — Opinion
Ghana already has substantial trade relationships with major BRICS economies. Its bid to join the grouping will test whether those connections can translate into greater influence, new investment and additional development financing.
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced on October 6 that Cabinet had approved plans to apply. Speaking alongside India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, in Accra, he linked membership to Ghana’s economic transformation and efforts to diversify its international partnerships.
Jaishankar welcomed Ghana’s aspirations while stressing that admission required collective consideration. Cabinet’s approval begins a diplomatic process in which Accra must secure agreement among existing members.
Ghana’s case for admission
BRICS’ expansion framework sets broad political and economic requirements. Applicants should be emerging or developing countries with regional and global influence, substantial commercial relationships with existing members and a commitment to sustainable development.
They must also maintain friendly diplomatic relations with members, support multilateralism and international law, and accept the grouping’s declarations and working arrangements. The framework sets no minimum GDP or trade threshold, and invitations require consensus among leaders.
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Ghana’s trade relationships provide a foundation for its application. Trade with China reached US$14.1 billion in 2025, according to figures announced by the Chinese ambassador and reported by the Ghana News Agency. India’s High Commission recorded approximately US$3.14 billion in bilateral trade during the 2024–25 financial year.
Its economic recovery strengthens that position. The IMF reported growth of 6 per cent in 2025 and progress on debt restructuring, although maintaining fiscal discipline and debt sustainability remains a priority.
India’s positive response gives Ghana an encouraging start, but agreement from one member cannot secure admission.
“You know you have to be accepted. You must be admitted,” Ablakwa said.
Diplomatic relationships under pressure
Ghana is pursuing membership while managing tensions with South Africa over the treatment of Ghanaian nationals.
Ablakwa said the government evacuated 1,964 citizens between May and September following xenophobic attacks and intimidation. The evacuation and reintegration exercise cost approximately GH¢49.7 million (about $4.3 million), and he reported four Ghanaian deaths. Mahama said in June that diplomatic relations remained intact.
BRICS also brings together countries with competing geopolitical interests. Iran is a member, while Saudi Arabia’s formal position remains unsettled: India’s 2026 chairmanship website lists the kingdom, but Riyadh has yet to formally accept its invitation.
Renewed fighting between Iran-aligned Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces in Yemen has intensified regional tensions. For Ghana, closer engagement would involve maintaining relationships across these divisions while pursuing its own economic and foreign policy priorities.
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What membership could offer
Membership would give Ghana a direct role in BRICS discussions on trade, investment and international economic cooperation. The grouping’s economic working groups address trade facilitation, digital commerce and investment links, providing channels through which Accra could pursue partnerships and contribute to joint initiatives.
Development financing is another potential avenue. The New Development Bank, established by the five founding BRICS countries, finances infrastructure and sustainable development projects.
Joining BRICS, however, does not automatically confer membership of the bank. Its admission process is separate and open to United Nations member states. Ghana would need to pursue that process to become a borrowing member, with individual projects still subject to assessment and approval.
The distinction matters for Ghana’s economic ambitions: participation in the grouping could expand diplomatic and commercial opportunities, but financing would depend on concrete proposals and negotiated agreements.
Cooperation before admission
Ghana’s financial links with China are already expanding.
In August, Stanbic Bank Ghana announced access to China’s Cross-Border Interbank Payment System following Bank of Ghana approval. Eligible customers can settle yuan transactions from cedi accounts, with Standard Bank South Africa serving as the group’s clearing hub.
The arrangement provides another payment channel for trade with China, demonstrating that Ghana can deepen financial cooperation with BRICS economies before securing membership.
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The opinions and thoughts expressed in this article reflect only the author's views.
