Lawyer and lecturer at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Kwame Owusu Danso, has urged Ghana to understand the specific benefits of joining BRICS as a partner country before proceeding with the arrangement.

He said although the partnership could create opportunities for trade, technology transfer and the exchange of ideas, the country must first establish what it stands to gain from the relationship.

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Speaking in an interview on Joy News on Friday, November 6, 2026, Owusu Danso said Ghana should not rely only on general expectations about the benefits of joining the bloc.

“We need to first of all understand what the intricacies are. Even though we know that it is going to ensure generally the exchange of ideas, technology, trade, we need to be introduced to what the benefits are,” he said.

He noted that Ghana must also understand the difference between becoming a BRICS partner and being a founding member, arguing that the benefits available to founding members could be different from those offered to partner countries.

“As we sit here, we really don't know what the benefits are. We are just reading about them. But what are the specific benefits that will accrue to Ghana if we became partners?” he asked.

Owusu Danso also pointed to what he described as a shift in global economic and political relationships, saying countries were increasingly looking beyond traditional Western partnerships for trade agreements and bilateral cooperation.

He argued that the influence of the United States and other Western powers was facing pressure as countries explored alternative partnerships.

According to him, some countries were seeking new relationships because of the conditions attached to their dealings with Western institutions, particularly the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

He said Ghana was still dealing with the effects of its engagement with the IMF, adding that the country needed to carefully assess the terms and expected gains of any new international partnership.

Owusu Danso maintained that Ghana's decision on BRICS should be guided by a clear understanding of the opportunities and obligations involved, rather than simply joining because other countries were doing so.

ANAS/AM

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