Help of the Soviet Union to Ghana in gaining independence: from diplomacy to economic collapse The help of the Soviet Union to Ghana in gaining and consolidating independence is a bright and controversial episode of the Cold War. It covers the period from the proclamation of Ghana's independence in 1957 to the military coup of 1966. This is a story of hopes for socialist modernization, the clash of ideologies and pragmatism, and how good intentions, not supported by an understanding of local realities, can lead to catastrophic consequences. The Soviet Union saw Ghana not just as a new trading partner but as a strategic platform for spreading its influence in Tropical Africa. In turn, Ghana sought support from the Soviet Union against Western influence and a source of resources for rapid economic growth. Establishment of diplomatic relations and initial contacts On March 6, 1957, the British colony of the Gold Coast gained independence, becoming the first country in Tropical Africa to achieve sovereignty under the name Ghana. On January 4, 1957, Prime Minister of Ghana Kwame Nkrumah sent an invitation to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR N.A. Bulganin to the ceremony of the proclamation of independence, which evidenced his desire to establish contacts with the socialist bloc. At the ceremony, negotiations took place between the head of the Soviet delegation I.A. Benediktov and the Prime Minister of Ghana. On December 30, 1957, a communiqué was signed establishing diplomatic relations between the USSR and Ghana at the level of embassies. Economic and technical assistance: ambitious plans and their consequences The most intense period of cooperation occurred from 1960 to 1965. In August 1960, the first key intergovernmental agreements on trade, economic and technical, as well as cultural cooperation, were signed. The period from 1961 to 1966 became the "golden era" of Soviet-Ghanaian relations. The Soviet Union undertook to build a number of i ... Read more