Ghana Answers Moscow's Call, and It Is Not Alone ‎

President John Dramani Mahama has arrived in Moscow for the third Russia-Africa Summit, which runs 28–29 October. He arrived on Monday after confirming his participation at the Financial Times Africa Summit in London last week.

The trip was long planned. Ghana's ambassador to Russia, Koma-Stim Jehu-Appiah, told TASS in May that the president's attendance was confirmed. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov repeated the confirmation in August.

Accra's stated agenda is economic. Mahama's participation is expected to focus on investment in agribusiness, energy security and digital technology. That fits his message in London that anyone committed to fighting terrorism in the Sahel is welcome, and his line that Ghana has "no enemies, only friends to all."

Who else is going
Already in Moscow: the presidents of Zimbabwe, Mali and Mozambique, along with delegations from Senegal, Ghana and Uganda.

Confirmed or expected: South Sudan's Salva Kiir confirmed in a letter to Putin. Namibia's Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah will attend. Kenya's William Ruto and Uganda's Yoweri Museveni were expected, according to their ambassadors in Moscow. Earlier confirmations also came from Sudan, Madagascar, Burundi, Guinea-Bissau and Chad.

Sending officials instead: South Africa's delegation will be led by Zane Dangor, director-general of its foreign affairs department, rather than the president.

Co-chair: Putin and Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, the current African Union chairman, will co-chair the leaders' plenary on the second day.

The wider picture
Moscow wants a strong showing. Russia invited all African heads of state and regional organisation leaders, and Zakharova says most delegations have confirmed. She has also accused the West of pressuring African governments to stay away.

The benchmark is modest. Only 17 heads of state attended the 2023 summit in Saint Petersburg, down from 43 in Sochi in 2019. Whether Moscow beats that number will be read as a measure of its pull on the continent.

For Ghana, the test is whether Mahama's attendance produces concrete investment, and whether it can be squared with his balanced foreign policy and Accra's ties with Western partners.

Mustapha Bature Sallama
Medical/Science communicator, Private Investigator, Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Analysis,United States Institute of Peace (USIP), [email protected] +233555275880

References
TASS, "Ghana president to visit Russia in October to attend Russia-Africa summit, ambassador": https://tass.com/world/2131617 (Ambassador Jehu-Appiah's confirmation)

The Business & Financial Times, "President Mahama to attend Russia-Africa summit," 29 May 2026: https://thebftonline.com/2026/05/29/president-mahama-to-attend-russia-africa-summit/ (agribusiness, energy and digital agenda)

Sputnik, "Ghana President to Participate in Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow in October, Lavrov," 17 Aug 2026: https://sputnikglobe.com/20260817/ghana-president-to-participate-in-russia-africa-summit-in-moscow-in-october---lavrov-1124592476.html

RT Africa, "The Russia-Africa summit 2026: What you need to know": https://rt-english.com/africa/647734-third-russia-africa-summit-explained/ (arrivals,

Ruto and Museveni, Putin and Ndayishimiye as plenary co-chairs, Zakharova on Western pressure)

Mirror of the same RT report: https://eng.pressbee.net/show4942345.html

(Mahama's arrival, Kiir, Namibia, South Africa's delegation led by Zane Dangor)

Eastern Herald, "Kiir Joins Growing List of African Leaders Headed to Moscow," 30 Jul 2026: https://easternherald.com/2026/07/30/kiir-south-sudan-russia-africa-summit-moscow-october/ (Sudan, Madagascar, Burundi, Guinea-Bissau, Chad)

NBC News, "Putin searches for more friends at Africa summit but low turnout dampens bid for influence": https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/putin-searches-friends-africa-summit-low-turnout-dampens-bid-influence-rcna96599 (17 heads of state in 2023 against 43 in 2019)