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0 President John Dramani Mahama has urged Africa to chart a new path of collective self-reliance amid a global order that increasingly favours established powers at the expense of emerging nations.
Addressing the nation on 27 February 2026, President Mahama said Ghana’s national renewal comes at a time when the international system is rapidly shifting.
“This moment of national renewal unfolds against the backdrop of a world in profound flux. The global order we once knew is being rapidly reshaped, and the so-called rule-based international system endures only as long as it protects the advantages of those who designed it,” he said.
He warned that when emerging nations attempt to operate within these same rules to rebalance power, the commitment of the system’s architects often wavers.
“Ghana, like many nations, has learned this hard truth. We cannot respond to this new reality with fragmentation, hesitation, or continual dependence,” the President stressed.
Building Resilience Through Cooperation
Mahama noted that history shows resilience and prosperity are never handed down but must be built deliberately through self-belief, cooperation, and strategic alignment.
“This era demands that Africa move from a posture of dependence to one of collective self-reliance,” he stated.
He highlighted Ghana’s efforts to lead by example. In mid-2025, Accra hosted a landmark Health Sovereignty Summit, bringing together African leaders, policymakers, and development partners.
“Africa must take ownership of its health security, pool resources, deepen collaboration, and design financing solutions that reflect our realities rather than external prescriptions,” he said, linking health sovereignty directly to economic sovereignty.
“Strong economies require healthy populations, and health sovereignty is inseparable from economic sovereignty,” Mahama added.
Strengthening Trade and Regional Integration
The President extended the principle to trade, industry, and economic growth, calling for the removal of barriers that hinder intra-African commerce.
“Africa’s future lies in dismantling artificial borders, removing bottlenecks that stifle commerce, and fully activating a common market that allows goods, services, capital, and ideas to move freely across the continent,” he said.
He emphasised that no African nation can thrive alone.
“When we work together, our combined markets, youthful populations, natural resources, and creativity will constitute one of the greatest economic opportunities of this century,” he noted.
From Promise to Power
President Mahama urged the continent and the broader Global South to pursue disciplined strategies focusing on youth empowerment, regional value addition, and domestic resource mobilisation.
“The Global South requires a deliberate and disciplined plan — unlocking the immense human and creative potential of our young people, strengthening regional value chains, mobilising domestic capital, and speaking with a single, coordinated, and confident voice in global affairs,” he said.
He concluded with a rallying call for Africa to take control of its destiny:
“This is how Africa can move from promise to power, from participation to leadership, and from dependence to self-reliance — the path forward.”
