Ghana: Ghana Faces Challenge to Persuade Brics It Deserves a Seat At the Table

BRICS is a group of emerging economies that began in 2009 with Brazil, Russia, India and China. South Africa joined in 2010, and six more countries later entered: Ethiopia, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The bloc promotes cooperation among major developing countries.

Full membership is not automatic after a country applies. All 11 existing leaders must agree, creating a demanding consensus process. A full member gains a seat in the bloc and voting rights. The bloc also includes partner countries, which may attend summits but do not have full voting rights.

BRICS also has a financial institution, the New Development Bank. Any United Nations member can join that bank, even without joining BRICS itself. Ghana’s application therefore seeks a political and economic place in the bloc, but acceptance remains uncertain. Indonesia was the latest full member, joining in January 2025.

Ghana is applying because BRICS already matters greatly to its economy and diplomacy. Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said membership would diversify Ghana’s economic base and partnerships. It would also create more cooperation within the Global South framework.

The trade links are especially strong. Ghanaian analyst Caleb Ziblim said more than 70 percent of Ghana’s exports go to BRICS countries, including South Africa, China and India. Ghana also imports almost everything in the country from China, according to him. President John Dramani Mahama said exports to India rose from about $3 billion to $7 billion.

Ghana presents membership as an addition, not a replacement, for existing relationships. Accra says it would continue engaging the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and other traditional partners. The application now goes through India, which holds the BRICS chair, so Ghana has sought Indian support during an official visit.

Ghana’s trade is heavily connected to BRICS, especially on the export side. Caleb Ziblim, a research analyst at JoyNews TV, said more than 70 percent of Ghana’s exports go to BRICS countries. He named South Africa, China and India among the important destinations.

The import relationship with China is even broader in the article’s description. Ziblim said Ghana imports almost everything it has in the country from China. That statement concerns China specifically, rather than all BRICS members together. President John Dramani Mahama also reported that Ghana’s exports to India increased from about $3 billion to $7 billion.

These figures help explain Ghana’s application, but they do not provide a single percentage for total trade with all BRICS countries. The clearest available measure is the export figure: over 70 percent. Ghana therefore sees membership as a way to engage more directly with markets and partners already central to its commerce.

Ghana needs to persuade every existing BRICS member that it would add real value. Acceptance requires full consensus among the 11 leaders, so support from one or two countries is not enough. The bloc is looking beyond applications to what each country can contribute.

Bright Simons said BRICS extends membership to countries with regional and strategic global influence. Ghana must therefore explain what power, partnerships or distinctive role it brings. Its case is complicated by Nigeria, West Africa’s largest economy by far, already holding partner status since 2025.

Ghana’s economic recovery after its 2022 debt crisis may be part of its argument, but Simons said leaders will consider what else Ghana offers. He suggested highlighting Ghana’s democratic track record. Even with Indian support, Ghana’s application has no guaranteed outcome. The decision timeline is unclear, and all existing members must ultimately agree.

Ghana says BRICS membership would widen its economic and diplomatic options. Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said it would diversify Ghana’s base of partnerships and increase cooperation within the Global South. That matters because Ghana already trades extensively with several BRICS members.

The bloc could provide a stronger political setting for engagement with China, India, South Africa and other emerging powers. BRICS trade has grown rapidly, driven by natural resources, manufacturing and technology. Its New Development Bank also finances infrastructure and development projects. However, membership of that bank is open to any United Nations member, whether or not it belongs to BRICS.

Membership would not end Ghana’s traditional relationships. Accra says BRICS would complement its work with the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and other partners. The practical gains are possible, not guaranteed. Ghana first needs unanimous approval, and the article gives no promise of specific loans, trade deals or diplomatic outcomes.

Ghana faces competition because BRICS considers regional and strategic influence when extending membership. Nigeria is West Africa’s largest economy by far and has been a BRICS partner since 2025. Although Nigeria has not applied for full membership, its existing role may make leaders question why Ghana should receive a full seat.

Full membership is not the only possible route. Partner countries can attend BRICS summits, but they do not have full voting rights. The article lists Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam as partners. Turkey was offered partner status after seeking full membership, but declined it.

Ghana could also join the New Development Bank without joining BRICS. Membership in the bank is open to any United Nations member state. These alternatives would offer different levels of participation. Full membership remains uncertain because all 11 BRICS members must agree, while partner status or bank membership follows separate pathways.

Countries in the Global South may seek alternative partnerships because BRICS was founded on the belief that major institutions were overly dominated by Western powers. The bloc’s founders argued that organizations such as the World Bank and IMF had ceased to serve developing countries adequately. BRICS offers a different platform centered on emerging economies.

The goal is not necessarily to abandon traditional institutions. Ghana explicitly says BRICS membership would complement its existing relationships with the IMF, World Bank and other partners. It wants a wider base of cooperation and more engagement within the Global South. This reflects a search for additional choices rather than a stated break with current lenders.

BRICS also offers practical economic connections. Trade among its members has grown rapidly through strengths in natural resources, manufacturing and technology. Its New Development Bank finances infrastructure and development projects. Yet intra-bloc trade remains only about 20 percent of South-South trade, suggesting that members see substantial untapped potential.