Ghana will formally apply for membership of the BRICS bloc. The decision was announced by Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on Tuesday. He spoke during the official visit of India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to Ghana.

Ablakwa said the cabinet of President John Dramani Mahama had approved the move. He said Ghana had already approached India for help with the application process. The minister described the step as a way to diversify Ghana’s economic and diplomatic partnerships.

“Joining India in BRICS will give us economic options, will diversify our base and our partnerships,” Ablakwa told reporters in Accra. He said the move fits within the Global South cooperation framework. Bilateral trade between Ghana and India has risen from about $3 billion in 2024 to about $7 billion.

Jaishankar said India was supportive of Ghana’s aspirations. He added that membership would need consideration by the wider BRICS grouping. The bloc has expanded in recent years to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.