President John Dramani Mahama has urged African leaders to step up and shape the continent’s role in the global economic landscape.
According to him, shifts in the current world order required Africa to take bold and calculated moves to establish itself as a significant player in international trade and investment.
Speaking at the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday, August 21, 2025, President Mahama noted that the global trade system is facing considerable stress. “We are holding the TICAD 9 against the backdrop of a rapidly changing world order. Multilateralism is on the retreat, and countries are increasingly acting unilaterally in their relationships with the rest of the world,” he said.
He expressed concern that the world’s leading economy has become more insular instead of driving global trade and investment. “The recent round of tariffs and retaliatory tariffs has sparked world trade and the global economy. The full effect of these trade wars will have a ripple effect on global growth and prosperity for years to come,” he added.
President Mahama emphasised the need for a “coalition of the willing” to forge an alternative path for sustainable global growth. He highlighted that Africa, with its 1.4 billion people and growing middle class, has vast potential to become a key player in the global economy, particularly through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“Africa is open for business, and it is the next frontier for trade and investment,” he said, stressing that while partnerships like TICAD are crucial, African leaders must take the lead in creating a favorable environment for trade and investment.
