Mahama drives pragmatic non-alignment at 3rd Russia-Africa Summit

Nearly forty years after completing his postgraduate studies in the then Soviet Union, Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama returned to Moscow, the capital of the Russian Federation, for the third Russia - Africa Summit held on 28th and 29th October 2026.

The two-day gathering was a test of Russia's growing influence across the African continent and sought to strengthen economic and security ties between Moscow and the participating African leaders.

During interviews with RT and Sputnik, Russian state-controlled international news television network and media organisation respectively, President Mahama recounted several distinct aspects of his stay in the Soviet Union as a student, from his intellectual curiosity, shifting political worldview and cultural integration. He used these personal memories to emphasize the historical depth of Ghana–Russia educational partnerships, and advocated for increased academic exchange and professional cooperation between Ghana and Russia.

The President, leading a high - powered Ghanaian delegation to the Summit, attended the official plenary sessions and took part in the Economic and Humanitarian Forum alongside his fellow African leaders. President Mahama championed Ghana's longstanding foreign policy of strict non-alignment, and leveraged the global forum to advance Ghana’s national economic interests, which resulted in securing six major bilateral commitments from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The landmark outcome of the bilateral talks was Russia’s commitment for partnership between the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission and Rosatom to develop a 2,000-megawatt nuclear power plant. This milestone initiative is designed to anchor Ghana’s long-term energy security, providing the stable, industrial - scale electricity necessary to power the nation’s accelerated economic transformation.

Speaking during a high-level roundtable of global leaders and economic experts, President Mahama firmly reasserted Africa’s shift away from aid dependency and the elimination of structural and administrative bottlenecks that hinder goodwill from evolving into robust, sustainable commercial ties.

He stated that "Africa is a continent of the future. Immense opportunities abound for mutual investment between African and Russian enterprises—particularly in agriculture, agro-processing, healthcare, energy security, and digital services”.

President Mahama addressed existing imbalances in trade by advocating for enhanced and direct market access for African goods into the Russian Federation. "Africa is seeking mutually beneficial partnerships, not aid dependency. Our goal as Africa's current leaders is to eliminate administrative bottlenecks and transform historic goodwill into robust and sustainable commercial ties that deliver equitable, long-term returns for all parties", he emphasised.

President Mahama acknowledged Russia’s historical solidarity with the continent, noting that the long-standing political goodwill must now serve as a bridge toward shared technological and economic advancement. Reflecting on these ties, the President highlighted Russia's support to African countries during the struggle against colonialism and extended critical support to the then new independent nations.

"Today, we are prepared to leverage Russia’s expertise in technology-driven initiatives to accelerate modern industrialisation, growth, and prosperity across our continent. Ghana's participation in the summit is part of our broader diplomatic and economic strategy to diversify international trade relationships, attract strategic investments, and advance the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agenda", he added.

President Mahama defended Ghana's open-door economic stance, reassuring global investors that the country remains a friend to all and an enemy to none.

Key Outcomes and Strategic Commitments Secured:

Direct cooperation with Rosatom to construct Ghana's first commercial nuclear power facility, reviving a strategic development path originally established in 1964.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed Moscow's explicit backing and consensus-building efforts for Ghana’s cabinet-approved application to join BRICS as a partner country.

• Trade De-Dollarisation & Digital Finance:

Strategic proposals to settle bilateral trade using local currencies and advanced digital payment systems, bypassing traditional bottlenecks to protect Ghanaian businesses from exchange vulnerabilities.

• Agricultural and Industrial Inward Investment:

Direct invitations to Russian enterprises to invest heavily in Ghana’s high-value value-addition sectors, including cocoa, cashew, horticulture, mineral processing, and fertiliser production.

A new defence pact covering technical assets for the Ghana Armed Forces, coupled with a vital commitment from President Putin to cease the recruitment of Ghanaian citizens—both voluntary and irregular—into the Ukraine conflict.

Launching a Russia-Africa Digital Innovation and Artificial Intelligence Programme for university-to-enterprise technology transfers, alongside expanded state scholarships for Ghanaian students.