Russia deepens cultural ties with Ghana through education and agriculture programmes
Moscow builds people-to-people links with Ghana via Russian House in Accra, scholarships and farming partnerships
Russia is quietly expanding its influence in Ghana not through loans or trade deals but through culture, education and agriculture. At the Partner Russian House on Sunyani Avenue in Kanda, Accra, Russian diplomatic staff host film nights, poetry readings and language classes that are changing how Ghanaians see Moscow. Executive Director Nataliia Krasovskaia says the aim is simple: help people understand each other beyond politics. “When they learn our language, read our books and listen to our music, the relationship becomes more human,” she told journalists in Accra.
The Russian House now works with twelve Ghanaian schools and universities. In the Bono-East Region, students attend preparatory classes run with Novosibirsk State Technical University. In the Volta Region, secondary pupils receive physics, maths and programming lessons alongside Russian language training. More than 270 learners are enrolled in local Russian-language courses, and 28 Ghanaian students have won places at Russian universities for 2026. Teachers are also being trained through a partnership with Yaroslavl State Pedagogical University.
Agriculture is the second pillar. Russian scientists are talking to Ghanaian farming communities about modern techniques, research and technology transfer. Krasovskaia says the goal is not just to import knowledge but to build local capacity. “Agriculture is about science and the future of communities,” she explains. “We want skills that can be used at home after students return.”
The cultural exchange goes both ways. In 2024, President John Dramani Mahama’s memoir My First Coup d’État was launched in Russian translation at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow. The book, written from the perspective of a Ghanaian who studied in the Soviet Union, introduced Russian readers to Ghana’s recent history. Ghana Country Director Polina Kvitnykh and Deputy Head Ashot Arakelyan help coordinate these efforts alongside the CPD’s general director Dmitrii Savelyev in Moscow.
The Russian House in Accra celebrates festivals like Maslenitsa and Victory Day, runs art masterclasses and hosts community events aimed at young people with little direct experience of Russia. These activities are not just entertainment; they are designed to create lasting people-to-people connections.
The CPD now operates in twelve African nations and plans to add two more by the end of 2026. While Russia’s broader geopolitical goals are clear, the organisation stresses that its work must deliver real benefits for Ghanaian communities. Whether through a scholarship, a new farming method or a shared poem, the message is that friendship can grow from small, everyday encounters.
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