Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has concluded a landmark three-day official visit to Moscow, securing a suite of agreements that signal a significant deepening of bilateral relations between Ghana and Russia. The visit, which took place from August 16 to 19 at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, yielded major outcomes in education, energy cooperation, and diplomatic engagement.
Scholarships Doubled for Ghanaian Students
In one of the most concrete outcomes, Mr Ablakwa announced that Russia has doubled its annual government scholarship allocation for Ghanaian students from 120 to 240 slots. The fully funded scholarships will prioritise courses in artificial intelligence, engineering, petroleum sciences, and pharmaceuticals—fields the Ghanaian government has identified as strategically important for national development.
The new allocation builds on the 120 slots the Russian Embassy in Ghana had already set aside for the 2026/27 academic year, continuing a steady upward trend that saw the quota rise from 75 to 110 in 2022.
Historic Visa Waiver Agreement Signed
On the first day of his visit, Mr Ablakwa signed a historic Visa Waiver Agreement for holders of diplomatic and service passports—the first such agreement since Ghana and the Soviet Union established formal diplomatic relations in 1958. The agreement is expected to facilitate official travel and strengthen diplomatic engagements between the two countries, with both sides committing to continue negotiations on extending visa privileges to other categories of travellers.
Nuclear Energy Cooperation Advanced
Ghana and Russia agreed to deepen cooperation on Ghana’s peaceful nuclear energy programme and green transition objectives. Accra is pursuing energy diversification by including 700 megawatts of nuclear power in its national grid. The cooperation builds on a 2015 agreement between the two countries on the peaceful use of atomic energy. Russia’s state nuclear company, Rosatom, has been shortlisted alongside firms from France, the United States, China and South Korea to compete for Ghana’s first nuclear power plant project. A more recent memorandum of understanding between the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission and Rosatom has further strengthened cooperation, with floating nuclear power units among the options under discussion.
Broadening Global Cooperation
The two countries agreed to work together on international issues including counterterrorism, climate change and reform of the United Nations. Mr Ablakwa expressed Ghana’s appreciation to Russia for supporting and voting in favour of a Ghana-led United Nations resolution declaring the transatlantic slave trade “the gravest crime against humanity”—a resolution adopted in March 2026 with 123 votes in favour.
During bilateral discussions, Mr Ablakwa also raised concerns over the illegal recruitment of Ghanaian youth to fight in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, citing casualties and missing nationals.
Historical Context and Future Engagement
The visit comes against the backdrop of historically warm relations between the two countries. Ghana and the Soviet Union established diplomatic relations in January 1958, and Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah, remains fondly remembered in Russia. Thousands of Ghanaians have studied at Soviet and Russian universities over the years, many returning to contribute to Ghana’s development in engineering, medicine, science and technology.
Mr Ablakwa’s visit also serves as a precursor to the Third Russia-Africa Summit, scheduled for October 28-29, 2026, in Moscow. President John Dramani Mahama has confirmed his participation and hopes to hold bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit.
“This official visit will map out broader areas of strategic cooperation between Ghana and Russia,” Mr Ablakwa stated, underscoring Accra’s commitment to deepening ties with Moscow across diplomacy, education, security and economic development.
