President John Dramani Mahama has called on African nations to pursue a new era of collective self-reliance, warning that the evolving global order increasingly favours established powers over emerging economies.
Addressing the nation on 27 February 2026, the President said Ghana’s renewal is unfolding at a time of profound global transformation.
“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 stated.
He cautioned that when emerging nations seek to leverage the same rules to rebalance global power, the commitment of the system’s architects often weakens.
“Ghana, like many nations, has learned this hard truth. We cannot respond to this new reality with fragmentation, hesitation, or continual dependence,” he stressed.
Building Resilience Through Cooperation
President Mahama argued that resilience and prosperity must be built intentionally through unity, confidence and strategic cooperation.
“This era demands that Africa move from a posture of dependence to one of collective self-reliance,” he said.
Highlighting Ghana’s efforts, he referenced the Health Sovereignty Summit hosted in Accra in mid-2025, which convened African leaders, policymakers and development partners to advance continental health security.
“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 noted, linking health sovereignty directly to broader economic independence.
“Strong economies require healthy populations, and health sovereignty is inseparable from economic sovereignty,” he added.
Advancing Trade and Regional Integration
Extending the call for self-reliance to trade and industrialisation, the President urged African nations to eliminate structural barriers that limit intra-continental 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 maintained that no country on the continent can succeed in isolation.
“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 observed.
From Promise to Power
President Mahama further called on Africa and the wider Global South to adopt disciplined, long-term strategies centred 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 appeal for continental transformation:
“This is how Africa can move from promise to power, from participation to leadership, and from dependence to self-reliance — the path forward.”
