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President John Dramani Mahama has clarified that Ghana’s decision to pursue partnership with the BRICS grouping does not mean the country is abandoning its long-standing non-aligned foreign policy.
Speaking at a press briefing at Jubilee House on Thursday, November 5, 2026, the President explained that Ghana was seeking partner-country status rather than full membership of the international bloc.
Mahama said the distinction was important, stressing that the proposed partnership should not be interpreted as Ghana aligning itself exclusively with any particular group of countries.
“Let me make it clear: there’s BRICS membership, and there’s BRICS partnership. We’re not going as a BRICS member, we’re going as a partner,” he said.
He explained that Ghana already maintains similar economic partnerships with other international blocs, including the European Union through Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs).
According to him, the BRICS partnership is consistent with Ghana’s approach of maintaining relations with different countries and international organisations without abandoning its non-aligned position.
“We have those partnerships with many countries. For instance, with Europe, we have the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). They are the same as the BRICS partnership. And so, it just fits with our non-aligned status. We’re not drifting anywhere,” Mahama stated.
Mahama says BRICS proposal began under Akufo-Addo
The President also disclosed that the process leading to Ghana’s proposed BRICS partnership began under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration led by former President Nana Akufo-Addo.
He said a ministerial committee established under Akufo-Addo examined the proposal and recommended that Ghana pursue partnership with the grouping.
Mahama explained that his administration inherited the recommendation and subsequently considered it at Cabinet level.
“The ministerial committee that sat and recommended that Ghana should accede to BRICS partnership was under Nana Akufo-Addo. We came and met the recommendation. And so, we didn’t set up the ministerial committee,” he said.
He added that Cabinet considered the recommendation after his administration assumed office and approved the proposal.
The clarification places the origins of Ghana’s BRICS partnership initiative within a process that started under the previous government before receiving approval from the current administration.
What Ghana’s BRICS partnership means
BRICS is an international grouping originally made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The bloc has since expanded its membership and introduced a partner-country category for countries seeking closer cooperation without becoming full members.
Ghana’s proposed participation is under the partner-country arrangement, which is different from full membership.
The distinction means Ghana would engage with the grouping through the partnership framework rather than automatically becoming a full member.
The country’s proposed entry is also subject to the required consensus support from BRICS members.
Mahama’s comments are intended to clarify the nature of the proposed relationship and address concerns about what it could mean for Ghana’s foreign policy direction.
For now, the government maintains that pursuing cooperation with BRICS is compatible with Ghana’s non-aligned status and its existing international partnerships.
