Ghana’s BRICS partnership does not change non-aligned status – Mahama insists

• President Mahama says Ghana’s BRICS partnership does not mean the country is abandoning its non-aligned foreign policy.

• He clarifies that Ghana is joining as a partner, not a full member of BRICS.

• Mahama says the proposal was recommended by a ministerial committee established under former President Akufo-Addo.

Speaking during a press briefing at Jubilee House on Thursday, November 5, President Mahama said Ghana was not joining BRICS as a full member but rather entering a partnership similar to arrangements it already has with other international blocs.

“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.

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The President stressed that the partnership did not represent a departure from Ghana's established foreign policy 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 also clarified that the decision to pursue the partnership was not initiated by his administration, explaining that the process began under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

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According to him, a ministerial committee established under former President Nana Akufo-Addo examined the proposal and recommended that Ghana should accede to the BRICS partnership.

“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. It was set up under the former NPP administration, and the recommendation was submitted to cabinet. And so, when we came, we met it, and so cabinet sat on it and said it's a good idea to be a BRICS partner. And so, we approved it,” he said.

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BRICS is an international grouping comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, with additional countries participating through membership and partnership arrangements.

If approved, Ghana would join the BRICS partner-country category, which is distinct from full membership. The application will require consensus support from the bloc’s members.