President John Dramani Mahama has said Africa has struggled to realise the promise of independence decades after colonial rule, remaining trapped in cycles of conflict, poverty and dependence on external assistance.
Speaking at the Accra Reset: The Davos Convening on Thursday, January 22, 2026, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, the President said, “Africa has lagged behind in the past decades, following liberation from colonialism, and has been trapped in cycles of conflict and multidimensional poverty,” adding that the continent “has thrived on handouts and humanitarian assistance from the developed world.”
President Mahama noted that global conditions are rapidly changing, with shrinking humanitarian aid and growing geopolitical uncertainty, making Africa’s current model unsustainable. “Africa must pull itself up by its own bootstraps,” he stressed, warning that reliance on aid is becoming increasingly risky as “many developed countries… are compelled to cut ODA and increase defence spending.”
Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic, the President described it as a stark reminder of Africa’s vulnerability within the global system. “Africa was the last continent to begin receiving vaccines amid a global pandemic,” he said, noting that the continent survived largely due to the “immunological profile and resilience of the African population.”
READ: We’ve shown democracy works, change is possible in my first year back in office – Mahama
President Mahama argued that Africa must take responsibility for shaping the emerging global order rather than remaining on the margins. “While no specific name has been coined yet for the new global system that will emerge, Africa intends to be at the table in determining what that new global order will look like,” he stated.
He identified what he called a “triple dependency” holding African countries back: dependence on others for security, reliance on donors for health and education systems, and exporting critical minerals without capturing value. “This isn’t sovereignty. It is a trap. And it is getting worse,” he said.
According to President Mahama, the Accra Reset Initiative, which he introduced at the United Nations General Assembly months earlier, is aimed at breaking this cycle. “Not as another declaration. Not as a wish list. But as a practical answer to a question millions of young Africans are asking: What should Africa’s response be in a changing global order?” he explained.
READ: Anti-LGBTQ+ bill: “If Parliament passes it, I will sign it” – President Mahama to Christian Council
He called for African countries to invest in skills, negotiate collectively, industrialise locally and hold leaders accountable, stressing that “Africa must be responsible for its destiny” if it is to move from dependency to shared prosperity in the new global era.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
