The Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has given indication that the erstwhile Akufo-Addo administration considered joining BRICS.
According to him, the issue was considered at the Cabinet level and a committee set up to assess the pros and cons.
Mr Ablakwa disclosed this on TV3’s The KeyPoints on October 10.
He further revealed that the committee justified the need to join the economic bloc made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, and submitted their report.
Read the full statement by Mr Ablakwa below:
“Cabinet recognized the growing importance of BRICS in the global arena but acknowledged the lack of information on the mechanisms and criteria for membership of the bloc. In this connection, Cabinet constituted a ministerial committee to examine the merits of joining the BRICS and advise government on the ramifications of the country’s membership or otherwise of the bloc.
The committee comprises the following: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, chairperson. Minister for National Security. Minister for Finance. Minister for Trade and Industry. And Attorney General and Minister for Justice.
The committee may also co-opt the underlisted ministers as necessary: Minister for Energy. Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation. Minister for Food and Agriculture. And Minister for Defense. I should be grateful if you could take requisite action on the decision by Cabinet.
And this is signed by the Secretary to the Cabinet, Mercy Debrah-Karikari. And it is copied to all the ministers who Cabinet instructed to serve on this committee. So, was there any action taken beyond this? The committee then proceeded to work.
And I have their report here. And interestingly, the Akufo-Addo government came to the same conclusion that President Mahama and his government have come to. And I have the report here dated 30th October 2023.
And membership of the committee, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for National Security, Minister for Finance, Minister for Trade and Industry, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, the Minister for Energy, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation.
Let me come to the conclusion and recommendations. It is recommended that Ghana acknowledge the importance of the vision that gave birth to the BRICS and express interest in joining. Such an action will be merely intended to position Ghana as a truly non-aligned state.
So, you get it. When they are writing their internal documents, they say that joining BRICS shows that we are truly non-aligned. But today when they are communicating out there, they say it departs from a non-aligned movement. We are pro-east. We are pro-Russia. But this is their honest analysis of the situation.
I continue. It says such an action will be merely intended to position Ghana as a truly non-aligned state while creating incentives for Western countries to put greater value on this cooperation with the country.
Many members that are seeking to join BRICS, including two founding members, have opposed views on different issues. Ghana’s membership will provide additional forum to pursue national and regional agendas to boost its diplomatic clout within and out of the group.
There was another report by the technical experts. They put together chief directors and other technical experts. I can read the introduction. I have a copy of the report. This is a report on the technical committee of the BRICS, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. And it’s dated October 2023.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs convened a technical committee meeting with stakeholders from selected ministries to provide advice to the government and review the concept notes on ramifications of the country’s membership or otherwise of the BRICS.
The meeting was chaired by Ambassador Osei Dankwa, special advisor to the Honorable Minister. Now, let’s come to the recommendations of the technical committee, the committee of experts, which the Akufo-Addo administration put together.
I quote verbatim. Ghana acknowledges the importance of the vision that gave birth to the BRICS. And expresses prospective interest in joining the bloc. Such an action will be merely intended to position Ghana as a truly nonaligned state while creating incentives for Western countries to put value on its cooperation with our country.
Any membership, were it to happen, will enable the country to influence the foundational principles and priorities of the group while enhancing our continuing commitment to multilateralism and the Pacific approach to international peace and security. Above all, it will enhance our influence in determining priorities of the new development bank as well as other additional multilateral financing.
This is the position very much aligned with the current government. And I would have thought that the ranking member who was also in cabinet, a minister of state, would have come to this discussion with sincerity.
That look, yes, we also considered it. We, President Akufo-Addo, instructed that we set up an inter-ministerial committee. They met. They presented a report.”
