President John Dramani Mahama is in Minsk on a five-day state visit to the Republic of Belarus, where he has laid a wreath at the Victory Monument in honour of Belarusian and Soviet Army soldiers who died liberating the country during World War II.

The President was received at the airport by Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Karankevich and a delegation of senior Belarusian officials before proceeding to the wreath-laying ceremony at the iconic memorial. 

According to a statement issued by the Presidency, the ceremony was witnessed by the Governor of Minsk, Vladimir Kukharev, officials of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, and Ghana's Ambassador to Russia, Dr Koma Steem Jehu-Appiah.

Tour of agricultural exhibition

President Mahama also visited Belagro 2026, an agricultural exhibition, in the company of the Deputy Prime Minister. The exhibition features the latest agricultural equipment, heavy farming and mining machinery, and other industrial sectors.

The President toured the Minsk Tractor Works product lineup, Minskyekspo ZAO displays, Bobruiskagromash fertiliser equipment, and a massive BelAZ-75710 haul truck, one of the largest dump trucks in the world.

President: Visit feeds into agriculture revolution vision

In brief remarks, President Mahama said his visit, at the invitation of the Belarusian President, is timely because it feeds into his government's vision to revolutionise the agriculture sector by tapping the experience of Belarus.

He praised the quality of the machinery on display but emphasised that flawless technical support, spare parts availability and after-sales service are strict prerequisites for final transactions.

The President's state visit is expected to focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation between Ghana and Belarus, particularly in the areas of agriculture, machinery manufacturing and industrial development. Discussions are expected to centre on potential partnerships that could see Belarusian agricultural equipment and expertise deployed to enhance Ghana's farming productivity.

The visit comes as part of President Mahama's broader agenda to modernise Ghana's agriculture sector and reduce the country's reliance on food imports. Belarus, a country with a highly developed agricultural machinery manufacturing sector, has long been recognised for its expertise in tractor production and heavy equipment engineering.

Further engagements on the President's itinerary are expected to include high-level meetings with Belarusian officials and business leaders.