Ghana is to host a Belarusian commercial and distribution hub that is expected to serve West African markets.
This follows bilateral talks between President John Dramani Mahama and Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko in Minsk on Monday (June 8, 2026).
The agreement forms part of a package of measures adopted at a summit between the two leaders, the first of its kind between Ghana and Belarus at the heads of state level since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992.
The summit also resulted in an agricultural cooperation agreement, a trade accord between the chambers of commerce of the two countries, and the establishment of a joint intergovernmental commission to develop a roadmap for future cooperation.
At a joint press conference after the signing ceremony, President Lukashenko said Belarus was keen to establish a hub in Ghana to facilitate the distribution of its products across West Africa.
“I would like to emphasize once again our great interest in creating a corresponding hub of Belarusian products in West Africa,” he said.
He explained that the arrangement would also provide Belarusian businesses with access to neighbouring markets in Central Africa through Ghana.
Regional centre
President Mahama welcomed the proposal, saying it aligned with Ghana’s objective of becoming a regional commercial and manufacturing centre.
The President said Ghana was interested in expanding trade and investment relations with Belarus while creating opportunities for local industries and businesses.
The proposal comes at a time when the government is seeking to position Ghana as a gateway for trade and manufacturing within the West African sub-region.
Agreements
Three agreements were signed during the summit.
The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Eric Opoku, and the Belarusian Minister of Agriculture and Food, Yuri Gorlov, signed a memorandum of understanding on agricultural cooperation.
Representatives of the chambers of commerce of Ghana and Belarus also signed a cooperation agreement to promote trade between businesses in the two countries.
A third agreement established a joint intergovernmental commission to oversee the implementation of bilateral initiatives and prepare a roadmap for future engagements.
President Lukashenko said the commission would begin work immediately.
“We have created a joint intergovernmental commission which will develop a roadmap for our actions in the coming weeks and months,” he said.
President Mahama said the agreements were intended to produce practical outcomes and pledged Ghana’s support for their implementation.
Agriculture
Agricultural mechanisation featured prominently in discussions between the two leaders.
President Mahama said Ghana was interested in acquiring technical expertise and attracting investment into modern agriculture rather than merely importing machinery.
During a visit to a dairy processing facility in Brest on June 6, 2026, he said reducing post-harvest losses remained a priority for Ghana and that the country was looking for practical solutions to address the challenge.
He also stated at the Belagro 2026 agricultural exhibition that any future machinery purchases would depend on the availability of spare parts, technical support and reliable after-sales services.
Defence cooperation
President Lukashenko disclosed that defence and military-industrial cooperation also featured in discussions held behind closed doors.
“There are no closed topics. This is not only agriculture and the supply of industrial products, but also the military-industrial complex, which the President spoke about at our negotiations,” he said.
Neither side provided details of any possible defence arrangements.
Diplomatic relations
The two leaders also discussed plans to establish resident embassies in Accra and Minsk.
At present, Ghana’s diplomatic representation in Belarus is managed through its embassy in Moscow.
President Lukashenko accepted an invitation from President Mahama to visit Ghana. The visit, when undertaken, would be his first trip to West Africa.
Trade expansion
Belarus exported about $600 million worth of goods to African countries in 2024, with the number of African buyers of Belarusian products rising to 45.
Ghana has been identified as one of the priority markets for Belarus’s growing engagement with Africa.
Ghana and Belarus established diplomatic relations on June 5, 1992. The meeting held in Minsk on June 8, 2026, was the first summit between the leaders of the two countries.
