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President John Dramani Mahama has issued a strong call for African self-reliance and unity, warning that the post–World War II global governance framework is steadily unraveling and that Africa must actively shape the emerging world order.
Addressing participants at the Davos Convening of the Accra Reset Initiative on the margins of the World Economic Forum, President Mahama said the continent could no longer rely on dwindling foreign aid, weakened multilateral systems, and external control over its natural resources. Instead, he stressed the need for Africa to develop the capacity to act independently and decisively.
He observed that bilateral engagements are becoming more transactional, while multilateral cooperation continues to erode amid rising geopolitical tensions and global uncertainty. In this changing landscape, Mahama argued that Africa must claim a meaningful role in defining the next global system rather than remaining on the sidelines.
Reflecting on Ghana’s post-independence journey—approaching its 70th anniversary next year—the President acknowledged years of political instability, economic shocks and heavy external dependence. He said those experiences highlight the urgency for a new development model rooted in sovereignty, value addition and regional integration.
President Mahama pointed to what he described as Ghana’s recent economic recovery, citing improved macroeconomic stability, single-digit inflation, a stronger currency and renewed investor confidence following debt restructuring and fiscal reforms. However, he warned that such progress would have limited impact if confined to a single country.
“Ghana cannot be a jewel in the dirt,” he said, urging African nations to link individual national gains into a broader continental transformation.
Central to his message was Africa’s “triple dependency”: reliance on external powers for security decisions, donor funding for essential services such as health and education, and the export of strategic minerals without capturing value through processing and manufacturing.
He presented the Accra Reset as a practical framework rather than a rhetorical statement, calling on African countries and Global South partners to align industrial policies, strengthen collective bargaining on critical minerals, and develop regional manufacturing hubs capable of generating millions of jobs.
The President also emphasized the need for sustained investment in skills development, domestic production of vaccines and medicines, and improved governance accountability, noting that corruption and inefficiency weaken Africa’s credibility with partners and investors.
Describing untapped human and economic potential as the continent’s most pressing challenge, Mahama cited widespread youth unemployment, vulnerable health systems and extractive economies that fail to deliver lasting prosperity.
In closing, he invited global partners to engage Africa on the basis of mutual respect rather than dependency, insisting that with collective resolve, African capitals could play a decisive role in shaping shared global prosperity
