H.E. Mr. Sergey Berdnikov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Ghana and the Republic of Liberia: “Here they appreciate that Moscow fosters partnerships with Africa without political conditions”

Our talk with H.E. Mr. Sergey Berdnikov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Ghana and the Republic of Liberia, was comprehensive and varied.

– Your Excellency, this year has three anniversaries in store for you: you are turning 60 years old, 35 of which you have dedicated to diplomatic service, and for the last five of which you have been Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Ghana and the Republic of Liberia. In your opinion, what is the most important thing within the framework of diplomatic service? Which qualities should a diplomat encompass? Which principles drive you in your work?

– Diplomatic service is one of the most fascinating and creative professions, combining deep knowledge from many fields, analytical thinking, unconventional approaches, and erudition. At the same time, one works with people representing different states, cultures, and traditions. The ability to engage in dialogue — to listen and hear your interlocutor to find the right arguments, approaches, and compromises, even under complex international conditions — these are the qualities without which the work of a diplomat would simply be impossible. I also consider resilience and the ability to work in a team to be important factors. Throughout all these years, a sense of camaraderie has more than once helped and supported me.

The fundamental principle of our diplomatic service, however, is defending national interests and protecting the interests of Russian citizens abroad, a principle clearly enshrined in our Foreign Policy Concept approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2023. It is important to note that the world is inevitably becoming multipolar, and today it makes no sense to try to slow down this objective process. The very trend towards multipolarity reflects the legitimate demands of the states of the global majority. But it must be based on respect for international law, strict adherence to the provisions of the UN Charter, including sovereign equality of states and the right of nations to self-determination, as well as other international documents adopted on the basis of consensus.

– ­Today, Russian-Ghanaian cooperation is developing under extremely challenging conditions, both in terms of the international situation and in light of Accra’s foreign policy priorities. Nevertheless, have you managed to find common ground and develop areas where our interests align most closely?

– Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of ‘Collective West’ sanctions imposed on our country in connection with the start of the Special Military Operation in Ukraine, which has disrupted the established international trading system, could not but affect Russian-Ghanaian trade and economic relations. Nevertheless, owing to the coordinated efforts of all relevant ministries and agencies, the work of the Russian-Ghanaian Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation was resumed in 2023. During a session held on December 13-15, 2023 (the previous one took place in 2019), a number of Russian companies announced plans to enter the Ghanaian market,  including Russian Helicopters, KAMAZ, United Metallurgical Company (OMK), Novostal-M, Uralchem, Uralkali, Russian Railways, Transmashholding, Power Machines, Rushydro, and others.

Furthermore, we have recently managed to significantly increase bilateral trade turnover – more than three and a half times – from $247 million USD in 2022 to $850 million USD in 2024-2025. This was driven by the export of critical Russian goods to Ghana, such as petroleum products, foodstuffs, and fertilizers.

With the direct assistance of the Embassy, AgroSoyuz has managed to establish business relations with the heads of local retail chains and distributors interested in purchasing Russian products. The Murmansk fishing company NOREBO Holding, which supplies fish (Alaska pollock) to Ghana, can also boast of successful work experience with Ghana. Negotiations on food supplies to the country are also being conducted by Kamchattralflot (seafood), Miratorg Agribusiness Holding (processed food products), Uvelka (pasta), Makfa (pasta and cereals), and the Yaroslavl Distillery (vodka).

Humanitarian projects have also been successfully implemented. Interest among Ghanaians in obtaining a Russian education remains high. The quota of the Government of the Russian Federation for the 2026/27 academic year stands at 120 places, and the number of applicants registered in the selection system for foreign candidates has already exceeded 800. In addition, in 2026, the number of first-year students at the University of Ghana who chose to study Russian reached 460 people.

For the first time since 1982, funded through the program to support the study of the Russian language abroad, the Embassy produced and donated 400 sets of new textbooks to the Faculty of Philology at the University of Ghana.

The Ghana University of Media, Arts and Communication-Institute of Journalism is also actively enrolling students in Russian Studies, although the number of students is still humble: 30 people. However, the leadership of this Ghanaian university is committed to expanding educational ties with Russia.

We have also supported the initiative to offer Russian language classes for Ghanaian schoolchildren at the E-Mort School Complex primary school. At the same time, we organize seminars, lectures, and master classes to promote Russian culture and education among local youth.

The Yaroslavl State Pedagogical University, which has unveiled two open education centers in Ghana, as well as the representation of the Center for Public Diplomacy, has significantly aided this process.

Moreover, in March of this year, the Embassy, together with Tomsk State University and with the support of the Russkiy Mir Foundation, launched free Russian language courses, which enrolled over 900 people in just a few days.

– Since 2018, Ghana has actively been promoting the pan-African African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) initiative, which became operational in early 2021. Five years have now passed, and some initial conclusions may be drawn. To what extent has the AfCFTA helped the African continent unlock its vast economic potential?

– As of January 2026, 54 of the 55 African Union member states have signed the AfCFTA Agreement, and 50 have ratified it. Since 2020, the Secretariat has been operating in Accra, and the Embassy has established good working contacts with it.

The AfCFTA means to achieve a single market for goods and services with the free movement of persons and capital, to carry out structural transformation of national economies, to increase the competitiveness of African countries on the global market, to promote their industrial development, and to diversify and develop regional value chains.

In this context, the most important aspect for the practical implementation of these goals for member states is to sign agreements on duty-free movement and trade in goods, based on the universal principles of non-discrimination of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

At the same time, it should be noted that the implementation of AfCFTA provisions is accompanied by objective difficulties. One of the main issues is various trade agreements both within regional economic communities and between countries on the continent. The original intent was for the development of a common AfCFTA policy to be coordinated with regional structures, since the formation of a continent-wide free trade area is being carried out on the basis of official associations already recognized by the African Union, including the Southern African Development Community; the Economic Community of Central African States; the East African Community; the Economic Community of West African States; the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa; the Arab Maghreb Union. The current divergences in regional economic communities’ trade policies are one of the key factors driving the private sector to orient production and trade toward specific states and economic blocs rather than the AfCFTA.

Furthermore, existing disagreements over non-tariff regulatory measures, problems with transport infrastructure, and the lack of up-to-date information on the state of the intra-African market currently prevent most small and medium-sized enterprises from expanding beyond national economies. To eliminate the dominance of monopolistic companies and artificially created regulatory obstacles that benefit state-owned enterprises and transnational corporations, participating states need to implement a coordinated investment and antitrust policy and unify trade rules.

Additionally, there is no differentiated or preferential trade regime provided for the least developed countries, except for a longer period for tariff liberalization. In states with a weaker production base and service sector, or those that are landlocked, trade costs are significant, and goods from these states are essentially uncompetitive compared to cheaper products from the continent’s more developed countries.

– In 2026, Russia and Liberia will mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Despite its significant natural resources, Liberia is today one of the poorest countries in Africa, having faced the consequences of prolonged civil war, serious economic problems, and the Ebola epidemic. In light of these circumstances, how would you characterize the current level of relations between our countries, particularly in the sphere of trade and economy?

– Russian-Liberian trade and economic cooperation is based on the 1979 Trade Agreement between the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Government of the Republic of Liberia.

In addition, Liberia is included in the list of states granted tariff preferences for exports to the EAEU. This formally allows Liberian goods to receive preferential access to the markets of the Union’s member states, including Russia.

Nonetheless, in 2025, the volume of our bilateral trade did not exceed $4 million USD. Such a decline in an already modest trade turnover occurred as a result of most Russian maritime vessel operators being forced to change their Liberian flag of convenience after local authorities initiated a procedure to deregister the so-called “Russian shadow fleet” in the summer of 2024. Up until that point, fees from the Liberian registry had been bringing Monrovia approximately $10 million USD annually, and as of April of the year before last, around 600 Russian fishing and merchant vessels were registered under the flag of this West African country.

At the same time, Liberia is experiencing an acute budget deficit and objectively needs additional foreign investment. The current administration of the President of the Republic of Liberia, H.E. Mr. J. Boakai, is seeking to secure support only from its traditional partners, primarily the USA. Russia, at present, is not among the priority countries for Monrovia for developing objectively mutually beneficial cooperation.

– In February 1962, Liberia hosted the planet’s first cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin. This was one of his two visits to African countries (the second was to Ghana). This makes one wonder, how familiar are modern Liberians with Russia? How often is our country mentioned in local news? Previously, the USSR provided Liberian students with scholarships to study at Soviet universities. How popular is studying in Russia among Liberian youth today?

– Bilateral relations in the fields of culture, science, education, sports, tourism, and youth cooperation are based on the 1976 Agreement between the Government of the USSR and the Government of Liberia. This document is, of course, outdated, but to this day it serves as the legal basis for bilateral cooperation in these areas.

The popularity of Russian education in this country is directly linked to how much modern Liberian youth know about our country. To my sincere regret, I must state that their knowledge is limited to the dominant Western-produced news content, which demonizes Russia, creating an atmosphere of distrust and fear.

Therefore, the current interest in Liberia in learning the Russian language and obtaining a Russian education can be described as very limited.

At the same time, cautious optimism is aroused by the possible incorporation of Liberians into the online Russian language courses being organized this year by the Embassy together with Tomsk State University. Furthermore, at the request of Liberian public figures, we have put forward an initiative to resume granting Monrovia places for tuition-free study at Russian universities within the quota established by the Government of the Russian Federation for foreign citizens (for the 2026/27 academic year, five places for higher education programs have been requested).

– To conclude our talk, let us ask the traditional question of our magazine. What does your Africa look like? What do you find most fascinating about the continent?

– My introduction to Africa took place in Ghana in 2021. From the first days of work in Accra, I was especially touched by the friendly attitude of the people, their openness and optimism, despite numerous difficulties. I was struck by the distinctive nature of the Ghanaian people, their almost sacred attitude towards their culture and traditions, as well as their spirit of collectivism.

Naturally, I could not help but be touched by the warm attitude of Ghanaians towards the USSR. Here, the role of the Soviet state in the struggle for the continent’s independence, the establishment of African countries’ economies, and their defense capability are highly valued. By the 1980s, the USSR had agreements on technical and economic cooperation with 37 of 53 countries on the continent and had built 600 enterprises and other projects. Soviet people were involved in constructing schools, hospitals, and irrigation systems and laying roads. In Ghana, the names of Soviet leaders are remembered, and in museums one can often see joint photographs of Soviet and African leaders.

Furthermore, in Ghana, Russia’s negative attitude towards colonialism and neocolonialism is well known. We view them as a pernicious system of unequal relations manifested through debt bondage, unequal trade regimes, foreign control over national resources, and the imposition of governance and value models. Here, they appreciate that Moscow fosters partnerships with Africa without political conditions, on the basis of mutually beneficial cooperation while respecting cultural identity.

– Your Excellency, we thank you for an interesting and informative talk and wish you success in defending the interests of our Motherland!

Interview by Yulia NOVITSKAYA, writer, journalist, and correspondent for New Eastern Outlook

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