Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has said that Ghana will be better off joining BRICS than not.
He said members of BRICS control half of the world’s population and wealth; therefore, Ghana has a lot to gain from joining.
“We are better off aligning with this group even if there is risk. It is extremely important for our future,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, October 10.
Kofi Bentil further called on the government to look at the experiences of other African countries that have joined BRICS and learn from their experiences.
“We need a good policy; we need to learn from the experiences,” he said.
Prior to his comments, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Abkakwa had said that Ghana is being strategic in its decision to join BRICS.
He said they are looking at the national interest.
“We are being strategic. We are looking at our national interest,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday October 10.
He further stated that cabinet’s decision to join BRICS is that Ghana should begin as a partner country.
According to him, the decision forms part of the government’s efforts to expand Ghana’s economic options and diversify its international partnerships.
He said the move would also strengthen Ghana’s engagement with countries in the Global South and create opportunities for deeper South-South cooperation.
“We want to start as a partner country, and then we will gradually progress into full membership as the situation evolves,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday October 10.
“The major highlight, which I am disclosing to the Ghanaian people for the first time, is that the Cabinet of President John Dramani Mahama has decided that Ghana will be joining BRICS,” he said.
Ablakwa explained that Ghana believes membership of the bloc, which brings together major emerging economies, could provide the country with alternative economic and diplomatic partnerships.
“We believe that joining India in BRICS will give us economic options, will diversify our base and our partnerships, and will also allow us to have more cooperation within the Global South framework, as far as South-South engagements are concerned,” he added.
The Foreign Affairs Minister’s disclosure signals Ghana’s intention to deepen its engagement with emerging economies as the government seeks to broaden the country’s international economic partnerships.
He also announced plans for Ghana and India to deepen cooperation in railway development, pharmaceuticals, ICT, defence, agriculture, science and technology.
He said the two countries had signed two Memoranda of Understanding covering agriculture and science and technology as part of efforts to strengthen their comprehensive partnership.
BRICS is an intergovernmental organization and geopolitical coalition comprising 11 core member nations—Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates—alongside 10 partner countries, representing roughly 49.5% of the global population and 40% of world GDP.
The group operates as an informal economic powerhouse designed to amplify the voice of the Global South and counterbalance Western-dominated institutions.
