Ghana could gain greater room to manoeuvre in an increasingly fragmented global order if it joins the BRICS grouping, International Relations Analyst Dr Nana Yaw Mireku has said.

He said membership would give Ghana an opportunity to widen its diplomatic and economic engagements beyond its traditional Western partners, while allowing the country to pursue its interests across a broader range of international relationships.

“One card that you are likely to score from being a member of BRICS is options,” Dr Mireku said on Citi FM on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. “What it means is that in these changing geopolitical dynamics, if you are a member of BRICS, it gives you options to interact, to negotiate globally beyond looking at a Western corridor or the Western window.”

His comments followed Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa’s indication that Ghana intends to submit an application to join BRICS as the government explores ways to diversify its international partnerships, expand economic opportunities and deepen cooperation with countries in the Global South.

Dr Mireku said Ghana’s foreign policy should remain anchored in national interest rather than exclusive alignment with any geopolitical bloc. “In the pursuit of our national interest, we do not have to be tied to a particular geopolitical block,” he said.

He noted that BRICS includes major emerging economies such as China, India, Brazil and South Africa, which could provide Ghana with additional avenues for diplomatic and economic engagement.

The analyst, however, cautioned against viewing membership as an automatic guarantee of access to new markets or financial opportunities. “It does not mean that once you are a member of BRICS, automatically these countries open their markets up to you,” he said.