# Ghana-Russia diplomatic and educational cooperation > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/ghana-russia-diplomatic-and-educational-cooperation > Updated: 2026-08-17T21:28:32.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 2. Ghana and Russia have strengthened bilateral ties through a series of agreements aimed at reducing bureaucratic barriers and expanding cooperation. During an official visit to Moscow, the two nations signed a historic visa waiver agreement for holders of diplomatic and service passports, the first such deal since establishing relations in 1958. In addition to the visa agreement, the nations committed to ratifying a defense cooperation memorandum pending since 2016 and discussed cooperation in nuclear energy, climate change, and counterterrorism. Russia also pledged support for Ghana’s upcoming international summit regarding the restitution of African cultural heritage. Educational cooperation was a central focus, with Russia agreeing to double the number of annual fully funded scholarships for Ghanaian students from 120 to 240, prioritizing fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Engineering, and Pharmaceuticals. However, this expansion occurs alongside a reported crisis for approximately 200 Ghanaian students currently in Russia, who claim they have not received stipends for 14 months. The Ghanaian Embassy attributed these delays to funding issues within the Ministry of Finance. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-17: Ghana and Russia expand student scholarships amid stipend crisis While Russia and Ghana have agreed to double annual scholarships for Ghanaian students, current scholarship recipients in Russia report they have gone 14 months without stipends, causing severe financial strain 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ghana-and-russia-expand-student-scholarships-amid-stipend-crisis ### 2026-08-16: Ghana and Russia sign historic diplomatic visa waiver agreement Ghana and Russia have signed a landmark visa waiver agreement for diplomatic and service passport holders, while also agreeing to double Russian scholarships for Ghanaian students and cooperate on cultural art' 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ghana-and-netherlands-sign-pact-to-combat-illicit-drug-trade --- Cite as: Ghana-Russia diplomatic and educational cooperation. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/ghana-russia-diplomatic-and-educational-cooperation