Joining BRICS is extremely important for our future – Bentil

According to report by Ghpage on Friday 10, October 2026, the Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has argued that Ghana stands to benefit more from joining the BRICS economic bloc than remaining outside the group, urging the government to approach the decision with a well-developed policy framework.

According to him, BRICS represents a significant portion of the world’s population and economic resources, making it an important platform for Ghana to explore new opportunities for trade, investment and international cooperation.

Speaking on TV3’s The Key Points programme on Saturday, October 10, Bentil said Ghana should be willing to align itself with the bloc despite the potential risks, provided the government carefully considers the country’s national interests.

“We are better off aligning with this group even if there is risk. It is extremely important for our future,” he said.

Bentil also encouraged the government to study the experiences of other African countries that have joined BRICS to understand the opportunities and challenges associated with membership. He stressed that Ghana would need a clear policy direction to maximise the potential benefits of the partnership.

“We need a good policy; we need to learn from the experiences,” he added.

His comments follow an announcement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, that Cabinet has approved Ghana’s decision to begin the process of joining BRICS as a partner country.

Speaking on the same programme, Ablakwa explained that the government was taking a strategic approach by prioritising Ghana’s national interest and seeking to broaden the country’s economic and diplomatic relationships.

“We are being strategic. We are looking at our national interest,” the minister stated.

Ablakwa disclosed that Ghana would initially join as a partner country before potentially progressing towards full membership as circumstances evolve.

He explained that the move forms part of the government’s broader strategy to diversify Ghana’s international partnerships, expand its economic options and strengthen cooperation with countries in the Global South.

The minister believes closer engagement with BRICS members could create additional opportunities for trade, investment and development while giving Ghana access to alternative economic partnerships.

“We want to start as a partner country, and then we will gradually progress into full membership as the situation evolves,” he said.

Ablakwa also highlighted plans to deepen bilateral cooperation between Ghana and India in several sectors, including railway development, pharmaceuticals, information and communication technology, defence, agriculture, science and technology.

According to him, Ghana and India have signed two Memoranda of Understanding covering agriculture and science and technology, signalling their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.

BRICS is a grouping of major emerging economies that seeks to promote economic cooperation and strengthen the representation of developing countries in global affairs. Its members include Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and several other countries that have joined in recent years.

For Ghana, the proposed partnership could provide opportunities to strengthen economic ties with emerging markets. However, Bentil’s comments highlight the importance of careful planning, policy consistency and learning from the experiences of other African countries to ensure that the decision delivers meaningful benefits to the country.

Mrs.Juliana feedback-opera-news-app@opera.com