Russia and Ghana Seek to Expand Long-Term Cooperation Across Trade, Education and Nuclear Energy

Dragon Media News Desk

Russia has expressed its intention to develop a long-term, equal and multifaceted partnership with Ghana, focusing on trade, education, agriculture, energy, science, technology and regional security. In an interview with African Initiative on September 18, Russian Ambassador to Ghana Andrei Ordash said Moscow was interested not in a series of short-term agreements but in a sustainable partnership that would support Ghana’s national sovereignty and development priorities.

Ambassador Ordash described the relationship established during the early years of Ghana’s independence as a strong historical foundation for bilateral cooperation. He highlighted progress in high-level political dialogue, including Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa’s visit to Moscow in August for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The two countries subsequently signed an agreement on visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic and service passports. The ambassador also expressed hope that the Russian–Ghanaian Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation would hold its next meeting in Moscow later this year.

According to Ordash, bilateral trade increased by 2.1 percent during the first half of 2026 compared with the corresponding period of 2025, while Russian exports to Ghana rose by 11.5 percent. Russia primarily supplies petroleum products, fertilisers and grain to Ghana, with additional opportunities identified in agricultural machinery, food-processing equipment and industrial technology. Ghana, meanwhile, is interested in expanding access to the Russian market for mining products, cocoa, shea butter and other commodities.

Education remains an important foundation of the relationship. The ambassador said Russia had increased the number of government scholarships allocated to Ghana for the 2026–2027 academic year from 120 to 237. More than 500 students at the University of Ghana alone are studying Russian, while thousands of Ghanaian specialists educated in the Soviet Union and Russia have contributed to strengthening ties between the two countries.

Energy cooperation could become another significant area of bilateral engagement. Ordash said Ghana had expressed interest in working with Russia on the peaceful use of nuclear energy, including the possibility of constructing its first nuclear power plant. Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, could offer an integrated package covering personnel training, project design, construction and subsequent maintenance. However, the ambassador did not announce a final construction decision, project location, budget or implementation schedule.

On regional security, Ordash described Ghana as an important Russian partner in West Africa. He identified counterterrorism and efforts to address extremism as potential areas of cooperation, particularly in view of instability across the Sahel. Russia is also seeking to expand diplomatic relations with Liberia and is working towards establishing a fully operational diplomatic mission in Monrovia.

The ambassador identified the Third Russia–Africa Summit as an opportunity to advance bilateral and continent-wide cooperation. He said the participation of Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama would be an important step in strengthening relations between Accra and Moscow. Russia and African countries are continuing discussions on future priorities in trade, investment, security, education and institutional cooperation.

Looking ahead to Ghana’s anticipated leadership role in the African Union in 2027, Ordash highlighted opportunities for cooperation on reforming global governance, strengthening developing countries’ representation in international financial institutions and addressing regional security challenges. President Mahama has identified reparations for historical injustices associated with colonialism and the slave trade as an important issue on Ghana’s agenda. The Russian ambassador said Moscow was prepared to continue dialogue and cooperation with Accra on these matters.