President John Dramani Mahama has arrived in Moscow from Ethiopia to lead Ghana’s delegation at the 3rd Russia–Africa Summit, where he is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The summit, hosted by President Putin, will take place on 28 and 29 October 2026 and is expected to attract more than 30 African heads of state and government. Its discussions will focus on peace diplomacy, regional security cooperation and trade ties between Russia and African countries.
President Mahama arrived in the Russian capital on Monday, 26 October 2026. He was welcomed by Ghana’s Ambassador to Russia, Dr Koma Steem Jehu-Appiah, embassy officials and senior representatives of the Russian government.
His visit follows months of engagement between Ghanaian and Russian officials. Speaking at the Financial Times Africa Summit in London on 21 October, President Mahama said peace diplomacy would be central to his participation in the summit.
“I’m going to Russia for the Russia–Africa Summit and try to convince President Putin to have a ceasefire if I can,” he said, referring to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The President said the appeal was consistent with Ghana’s non-aligned foreign policy, which he described as being “friends to all and enemies to none”. He said Ghana maintained balanced relations with the United States, the European Union, China and Russia.
According to President Mahama, that position enabled Ghana to maintain direct diplomatic engagement with Moscow while pursuing peace initiatives.
Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, confirmed that the President is due to hold a private, high-level bilateral meeting with President Putin on the margins of the summit. The talks are expected to cover bilateral cooperation and global security.
Business, cultural and academic programme
As part of the two-day gathering, President Mahama and other visiting leaders will attend the summit’s main plenary sessions and take part in the Economic and Humanitarian Forum.
The Ghanaian president’s Moscow programme also includes meetings with representatives of Russian businesses and state enterprises. Those discussions will examine possible investment opportunities in Ghana.
Two Russian universities are due to confer honorary doctorate degrees on President Mahama at separate ceremonies. The institutions are the Russian University of Transport and the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN).
His itinerary also includes a visit to a specialist Kente exhibition organised by the Russia–Ghana Parliamentary Forum. The exhibition will showcase Ghanaian heritage and the cultural links between the two countries.
