Ghana Strengthens Scientific and Economic Ties with Russia

• Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa visited the Institute for African Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) to discuss bilateral scientific and economic cooperation.
• Ghana aims to end the export of raw materials by 2030, shifting toward an industrial model centered on high-value-added domestic processing.

Economic and Energy Development

• Ghana is a major producer of gold and cocoa, with significant reserves of lithium, bauxite, oil, and gas.
• The government is prioritizing the domestic processing of natural resources, particularly in the oil and gas sector.
• Officials discussed potential collaboration in nuclear energy to diversify Ghana's energy mix, building on historical ties with Soviet experts who assisted in early atomic agency development.

Scientific Collaboration and Historical Justice

• Both parties plan to formalize cooperation through Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to facilitate academic exchanges and internships for researchers and postgraduate students.
• Minister Ablakwa emphasized the importance of "reparatory justice," which includes both financial compensation for the slave trade and the restitution of cultural artifacts stolen during the colonial era.
• Ghana plans to organize an exhibition documenting the origins and current locations of cultural treasures from the Ashanti and Benin empires, as well as Ancient Egypt.
• The Institute noted that Ghana is unique in having literary works by its leaders, Kwame Nkrumah and current President John Dramani Mahama, translated and published in Russia.