Ghana and Russia discuss citizen recruitment and Sahel security

During a joint press conference in Moscow, Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov addressed diverging issues regarding regional security and the recruitment of Ghanaian nationals.

Minister Ablakwa demanded that Russia cease the “illegal recruitment” of Ghanaian citizens to fight in the war in Ukraine, reporting that 62 Ghanaians have died and 15 remain missing. Lavrov responded by stating that contract conditions are public and that some citizens enlist out of economic necessity or solidarity. This follows similar allegations from Zimbabwe and Kenya regarding the recruitment of their citizens through deceptive job offers.

On the topic of West African security, the discussions touched upon the Sahel region, where nations in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—have distanced themselves from France in favor of security ties with Russia. Lavrov accused France of attempting to maintain colonial influence and suggested that French involvement contributes to terrorism in the region. Ablakwa expressed support for Russian assistance in combating terrorism in West Africa amid ongoing threats from Al-Qaeda and Islamic State-affiliated groups.