President John Dramani Mahama has arrived in Moscow for the third Russia-Africa Forum, where he is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and engage businesses and state institutions as Ghana seeks to strengthen economic and diplomatic ties.
Mahama travelled to Russia from Ethiopia, according to an announcement on his visit. The programme includes an economic and humanitarian forum, plenary sessions of the summit and meetings with Russian businesses and government institutions.
The planned engagements provide an opportunity for Ghana to explore areas of cooperation with Russia, although details of potential investment agreements, trade commitments or commercial deals were not disclosed.
Mahama and Putin are expected to hold a high-level bilateral meeting during the visit, with the president also scheduled to attend a kente exhibition organised by the Russia-Ghana Parliamentary Forum, highlighting Ghana’s cultural heritage during the diplomatic engagements.
Two Russian universities, the Russian University of Transport and the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, will separately confer honorary doctorate degrees on Mahama during ceremonies in Moscow.
Mahama is also expected to grant audiences to representatives of Russian businesses and state institutions, though the organisations involved and the sectors under consideration were not identified.
The visit comes in hope of Ghana pursuing international partnerships through diplomatic engagement and economic cooperation. The outcome of the Moscow meetings, particularly any concrete trade, investment or institutional agreements, will determine the immediate commercial significance of the visit.
