By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama, has called for a significant expansion of cultural diplomacy and educational partnerships, identifying people-to-people exchanges as a foundational pillar for revitalizing the historic bilateral ties between Ghana and Russia.
Speaking during his official visit to Moscow for the 3rd Russia-Africa Summit, President Mahama emphasized that sustainable diplomatic and economic cooperation cannot be achieved through trade and state contracts alone, but must be rooted in mutual cultural appreciation and historical solidarity.
As part of the diplomatic itinerary, President Mahama attended a special Kente exhibition organized by the Russia-Ghana Parliamentary Forum in Moscow.
Coordinated by the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, the showcase features prominent Ghanaian exhibitors displaying traditional woven textiles.
“Our cultural symbols, like the Kente cloth, are not merely products; they are historical narratives that convey our identity and values,” Mahama remarked during his tour of the exhibition. “Platforms like this foster cross-cultural dialogue and strengthen the social fabric binding our nations together.”
The push for closer cultural relations overlaps heavily with academic cooperation.
President Mahama, who studied in Moscow on a full scholarship between 1986 and 1988, cited his own background as an example of how educational exchange shapes long-term bilateral diplomacy.
During separate ceremonies in the Russian capital, President Mahama was decorated with Honorary Doctorate Degrees from the Russian University of Transport and the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University).
Delivering his acceptance speech at RUDN University, President Mahama welcomed a new proposal by the institution’s Rector, Professor Oleg Yastrebov, to establish a specialized Russian-African studies program.
“Thousands of Ghana’s top professionals, including medical doctors, engineers, and heads of departments, were educated in the universities of the former Soviet Union and Russia.
They returned home fluent in the language and well-versed in the culture,” Mahama noted. “We must build on these historical foundations by expanding student and faculty exchanges, joint research, and modern technical training.”
The cultural and academic push coincides with major high-level talks, including a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to explore critical investments in solar energy, nuclear power, and agricultural inputs.
Addressing concerns over the global geopolitical climate, President Mahama reaffirmed Ghana’s longstanding non-aligned foreign policy.
He maintained that establishing deep-seated ties with international partners remains a sovereign right aimed strictly at mutual national development.
“We are friends to all and enemies to none,” President Mahama reiterated. “Our approach is driven by partnerships that provide a fair return to our investors and tangible economic benefits to our people, free from the constraints of geopolitical rivalries.”
