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0 NewsGhana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, News Ghana, https://www.newsghana.com.gh/speaker-bagbin-urges-africa-to-end-dependency-on-foreign-powers/Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has called on African countries to reduce dependence on foreign powers and negotiate collectively to gain stronger influence in global affairs.
Bagbin delivered the remarks in a keynote address read on his behalf at the 6th Fireside Dialogue of the Africa Future Leaders Institute of Global Affairs (AFLIGA) in Accra, where he was the guest of honour. The dialogue, held to mark African Union (AU) Day, was organised around the theme “Africa’s Role and Agency in Global Affairs: Past, Present and Future Prospects and Challenges,” and brought together diplomats, academics, policy experts and young leaders.
“The era when powerful countries determine the continent’s direction must end,” Bagbin said.
He argued that Africa’s continued economic vulnerability and political fragmentation undermine its ability to shape major global decisions, and that the continent must build partnerships based on mutual respect and shared benefit rather than dependency. He also questioned why Africa remains underrepresented at the United Nations Security Council despite its growing population and natural resource wealth, describing this imbalance as a structural injustice that collective continental action must address.
Bagbin called for stronger institutions across the continent, arguing that many countries struggle because their leaders build systems around individuals rather than around durable governance structures. He said weak institutions and poor governance have historically been the primary drivers of the continent’s development challenges, not a lack of resources or talent.
He also warned that youth frustration is building to a dangerous level across Africa because of unemployment, poverty and limited economic opportunity. He urged governments to take young people’s needs seriously before the situation deteriorates, describing today’s African youth as bold and unwilling to wait for change the way previous generations did. He called for greater investment in education, technology, entrepreneurship and digital transformation, and encouraged specific support for artificial intelligence, renewable energy and modern agriculture as tools for economic growth and food security.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) received particular attention. Bagbin said stronger intra-African trade would reduce the continent’s exposure to external markets and build economic resilience, arguing that regional solidarity and coordinated negotiation would yield more international leverage than individual countries acting alone.
Also addressing the dialogue, Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps and Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Ghana, Kupa Ego Chinonza, said continental unity is especially critical as global uncertainty grows and international power dynamics shift. He stressed that deeper cooperation among African countries will allow the continent to negotiate from a position of strength while protecting its sovereignty and long-term development priorities. He also called for expanded opportunities for women and young people, describing their inclusion as central to Africa’s future stability and growth.
NewsGhana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, News Ghana, https://www.newsghana.com.gh/speaker-bagbin-urges-africa-to-end-dependency-on-foreign-powers/
