Ghana has called for a shift from raw mineral exports to partnerships that support local processing, technology transfer and skills development as it seeks greater economic benefits from its natural resources.
Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Isaac Tandoh, made the call on behalf of the government at the Second Russian-African Raw Materials Dialogue in Saint Petersburg, Russia, where he said future mining cooperation must be based on reciprocity and shared benefits.
Mr Tandoh said although eight of the world’s 20 largest gold-producing countries were in Africa, only about two per cent of the continent’s natural resources were processed locally.
He said Ghana, as Africa’s leading gold producer, was prioritising partnerships that would enable the country to add value to its raw materials before export.
“All future cooperations must move beyond simple raw material extraction toward a partnership of sovereign equals,” he said.
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Mr Tandoh said Ghana remained open to knowledge sharing and the transfer of advanced technologies from Russia and other countries, but stressed that such arrangements must be structured to build local capacity.
He said technology transfer and technical training should equip Ghanaian engineers and institutions with measurable new capabilities rather than leave the country dependent on foreign expertise.
The dialogue, which runs from October 12 to 16, 2026, brings together representatives from more than 40 African countries, including over 100 heads of agencies and organisations, alongside other international delegates and industry experts.
Organised by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UNESCO International Competence Centre for Mining Engineering Education and Saint Petersburg Mining University, the meeting is focused on cooperation in natural resource management, technological innovation and engineering education.
Mr Tandoh said Ghana was also expanding its focus beyond traditional minerals to critical resources, including lithium, iron ore and bauxite, with state-backed development frameworks such as the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC) and the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation (GIISDEC) supporting efforts in the sector.
He said the country was strengthening its regulatory systems to ensure mineral rights acquisitions and mining operations complied with established requirements.
He cited the Minerals Commission’s digital Mining Cadastre Administration System (MCAS) and the use of geofencing technology as part of efforts to improve oversight of mineral rights and mining activities.
According to him, these measures were intended to ensure that mineral development benefited all stakeholders, including the Ghanaian people.
Mr Tandoh called for a formal Ghana-Russia Mining Cooperation Framework to guide future engagements, arguing that cooperation should be built on reciprocity rather than dependency.
He said Russia’s demand for critical minerals presented an opportunity to match its import needs with Ghana’s resource base, but stressed that the resulting partnerships must deliver lasting benefits to both countries.
He further called for technical training and industrial cooperation to be delivered through Ghanaian institutions to strengthen local expertise and support the development of domestic mineral-processing capacity.
