ghananlpcommunity/ghana-gov-speeches-sentences huggingface dataset:
Much like the law that was put in place to regulate the punishment of the enslaved in Barbados, these policies are becoming a template for other governments as well as some private institutions.
At the very least, they are slowly normalising the erasure that is taking place.
Earlier, when discussing the importance of this resolution, I said it was a safeguard against forgetting.
This is the type of forgetting that I was referring to.
There are other types of forgetting as well.
The great Jamaican philosopher-poet Robert Nesta Marley famously said, “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds.”
I want to repeat an encouragement that I offered at the start of this address, one that is companion to the truth that I began with.
When discussing slavery and its resulting institutions and practices, we must always start by reclaiming racial equality, the dignity of Africans, the humanity of our ancestors who were enslaved and, as a matter of course, our own humanity.
We must also remember to reclaim our own humanity, because when we absorb too much of the language of violence and erasure out in the world, we can stop hearing the language of truth that exists within us.
When we’re in that state, our minds become enslaved.
In his book, the Guyanese writer Walter Rodney quotes a Dutch traveler’s first impression upon visiting the Nigerian city of Benin: “The town seems very great.
When you enter into it, you go into a great broad street… The town is composed of 30 main streets, very straight and 120 feet wide… The houses are close to one another, arranged in good order.
These people are in no way inferior to the Dutch as regards cleanliness…” In 1531, a Portuguese sailor, Viçente Pegado, travelled to the city of Great Zimbabwe, and this is what he wrote: “Among the goldmines and the inland plains between the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers [is a] fortress built of stones of marvellous size, and there appears to be no mortar joining them… This edifice is almost surrounded by hills, upon which are other resembling it in the fashioning of stone and the absence of mortar, and one of them is a tower more than 12 fathoms high.”
A 2016 article in The Guardian highlighted the city of Great Zimbabwe, built between the 11th and 14th centuries.
The article described a centuries-old draining system that remained operational, “funnelling water outside the houses and enclosures down into the valley.”
The article also disclosed how “in the 19th century, European visitors to this abandoned medieval city refused to believe that indigenous Africans could have built such an extensive network of monuments.”
Here’s the thing: the greatness that is within us will always outweigh the injustices that have been visited upon us.
Our survival is a testament to that fact.
In closing, I would like to offer this quote by Nelson Mandela: “Our human compassion binds us the one to the other—not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.”
Truth begins with language.
I hope all of you will vote tomorrow to speak truth to power so that together we can pass this historic resolution and finally acknowledge the full horror of these transgressions against the humanity of the 18 million human beings who were enslaved.
Madam President, Excellencies, Heads of State and Government, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen Progress is made in steps.
It’s the forward motion toward something better, and the changes are often incremental.
Today marks the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
It is a day on which we honour the memory of the approximately 13 million African men, women and children who were enslaved over the course of several centuries.
We remember them through articles and oral histories, through broadcast programmes, books, music, visits to museums, monuments, and memorials, such as the Ark of Return, located right here at the Visitors Plaza of the United Nations Headquarters.
Through these activities, we do more than remember.
We document and educate; we gain a greater perspective; we find the delicate balance of learning from history so we do not repeat it, while leaving the pain behind.
In doing so, we begin to heal, individually, within our immediate communities, and within the global community.
This day of remembrance did not happen by accident.
In 2006, our global community gathered here, just as we have done today, and resolved to designate the 25th of March of the following year, a Day of Remembrance.
It marked progress.
Then the following year, in 2007, we decided to make the event an annual one, so the 25th March of every year would be the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
That marked an additional step in our forward motion.
It is, indeed, fortunate to be here today, two decades later, addressing the General Assembly on behalf of the African Group, regarding the draft resolution entitled “Declaration of the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans and Racialised Chattel Enslavement of Africans as the Gravest Crime Against Humanity.”
In September last year, at the 80th session of the General Assembly, I stated that Ghana would move a motion to declare the transatlantic slave trade the gravest crime against humanity.
This draft resolution is the result of months of consultation and consensus-building by continental bodies, nations, experts, scholars, and jurists, with the sole aim of achieving a united front and grounding the final outcome in truth, compassion, and moral conscience, remembrance, education, and dialogue.
Today, we come together in solemn solidarity to affirm truth and pursue a route to healing and reparative justice.
The adoption of this resolution serves as a safeguard against forgetting.
I conclude with two significant quotes by two great leaders, one white, one black.
Former President of the United States of America, Theodore Roosevelt, said, “With a great moral issue involved, neutrality does not serve righteousness; for to be neutral between right and wrong is to serve wrong.”
Civil rights leader, Dr Martin Luther King, also reminds us that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
We have travelled the long road, each step guided by a desire to be better, to do better; each step bringing us closer to the kind of world we would like to leave for our children.
On this beautiful day in March, we are called to stand on the right side of history.
Let it be recorded that when history beckoned, we did what was right for the memory of the millions who suffered the indignity of slavery.
Let our vote on this resolution restore their dignity and humanity.
Your Highnesses, Dear Colleagues Leaders of international organisations, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am deeply honoured to join you here at the World Governments Summit.
I extend my sincere gratitude to our gracious hosts for convening this timely platform for dialogue, reflection, and collective action.
We gather here at a pivotal juncture in global affairs, an era marked by rapid transformation, shifting geopolitical realities, and unprecedented interconnectedness.
The international system is evolving, and with it, the alliances that have long shaped relations among our nations.
The central question before us today is not whether global alliances will endure, but how they must be reimagined and renewed to remain effective, inclusive, and responsive to the demands of our time.
Excellencies, the alliances of previous generations were largely forged in response to geopolitical rivalries, military confrontations, and economic competition.
They were often shaped by blocs and spheres of influence.
Today, however, humanity faces challenges that transcend borders and defy unilateral solutions such as the accelerating threat of climate change, growing food and energy insecurity, global health emergencies, violent extremism and terrorism, technological disruption, fragile supply chains, and widening inequality.
Distinguished Guests, these challenges demand cooperation not as a matter of choice but as an imperative.
The alliances of the future must therefore be rooted in shared responsibility and based on our common destiny.
The partnerships of tomorrow must extend beyond traditional diplomacy.
They must become alliances of solidarity, anchored in mutual respect, shared aspirations, and collective advancement.
For us in Ghana, this vision is deeply familiar.
Our nation was founded on enduring principles of freedom, dignity, and international cooperation.
From the Pan-African ideals championed by Osagyefo Dr.
Kwame Nkrumah to Ghana’s contemporary role as a bridge-builder in global diplomacy, we have consistently stood for unity over fragmentation.
Indeed, Ghana has long shown that principled alliances can advance peace, prosperity, and stability beyond our borders.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the future of global alliances cannot be meaningfully imagined without Africa.
Africa is not merely a space of competition; it is a continent of solutions, opportunities, and rising influence.
With the world’s youngest population, vast natural endowments, dynamic innovation, and expanding market of 1.3 billion people, Africa will play a decisive role in shaping the global economy of the twenty-first century.
Partnerships of tomorrow must advance shared prosperity.
We must work together to invest in renewable and clean energy, modern infrastructure, resilient food systems, digital transformation, and, above all, human capital development.
Africa welcomes global partners not merely to trade with, but to transform with through investments that build industries, strengthen supply chains, and create shared opportunity.
Africa deserves a seat at the table in the reshaping of a new global order.
This is why the Accra Reset, which convened in Accra, New York, Davos and soon Addis, offers a road map for the transition from aid and dependence to trade, investment and global partnerships.
To achieve the right alliances, Africa must reset itself.
Accountable and transparent governance, respect for human rights, strong institutions and selfless leadership are essential.
New alliances with Africa must aim at adding value to Africa’s natural resources.
They must aim at granting Africa greater sovereignty and control of its natural resources.
That is why in Ghana, we have established the Goldbod that has yielded more than $10 billion in less than a year.
Our medium to long term goal is to process and add value to our mineral ores and agricultural products; gold manganese, bauxite, lithium, petroleum, cocoa, oil palm, cashew, fruits, soya, cassava and other raw materials.
I am happy to note that Ghana/UAE and Africa/Gulf partnerships are helping to shape a more connected and prosperous future and are becoming an important pillar of the emerging global order.
Excellencies, remarkably, peace remains the essential foundation on which development is built.
In West Africa, the growing threat of terrorism and instability in parts of the Sahel reminds us that security is indivisible.
Ghana, through ECOWAS, remains committed to regional peace, preventive diplomacy, and democratic stability.
As part of efforts to rebuild and strengthen sub-regional cooperation across key sectors to enhance resilience, restore confidence, and address the structural drivers of instability, Ghana convened a High-Level Consultative Conference on Regional Cooperation and Security from 29th to 30th January, 2026.
The conference, which brought together Heads of State and Government and key regional institutions to confront shared threats, forged a renewed consensus on collective security, counter-terrorism, border cooperation, humanitarian response, and human-centred governance as the foundations of lasting stability in West Africa.
It also reaffirmed our collective resolve to translate regional solidarity into concrete action, measurable outcomes, and sustained peace for our peoples.
Excellencies, undoubtedly, the world is entering a new era in which artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and digital systems will redefine economies and societies.
Yet governance has not kept pace with innovation.
Ghana is making steady progress in digital transformation, from mobile financial inclusion to national identification systems and e-governance reforms.
But the digital future must not be the privilege of a few nations.
Future alliances must therefore ensure ethical governance of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity cooperation, technology transfer, and inclusive digital capacity-building.
We must ensure that innovation becomes a shared global good, not a source of new inequality.
Distinguished participants, no alliance of the future can ignore the climate crisis.
While Africa contributes the least to global emissions, it suffers disproportionately from climate impacts.
Climate action must therefore be matched by climate justice, and the global community must honour its commitments on climate finance, adaptation support, and equitable energy transitions.
The Ghana-UAE partnership stands as a clear example of future-oriented global alliances, mobilizing a USD 30 million grant to advance climate action, biodiversity protection and inclusive development.
Ladies and Gentlemen, at the heart of global alliances lies multilateralism.
While the post war multilateral order and rules-based system have come under severe pressure because of unilateral actions of some members of the global family, there remains enough healthy tissue that we can culture to restore it back to good health.
International institutions must become more representative, more responsive, and more equitable.
Developing nations must have a stronger voice in shaping the rules governing trade, finance, climate action, and peacekeeping.
Indeed, the legitimacy of global governance depends on fairness, and fairness remains the cornerstone of trust.
Ghana remains steadfastly committed to an international order based on dialogue rather than confrontation, cooperation rather than isolation, rules rather than coercion, and shared progress rather than zero-sum rivalry.
Our partnerships with the nations represented here, including those in the Gulf region, reflect our belief in economic diplomacy that delivers development, investment, and opportunity for our people.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the future of global alliances is ultimately not about treaties alone.
It is about the kind of world we choose to build.
A world where cooperation triumphs over division, partnerships serve development and where nations rise together, not apart.
Honourable Speaker, Honourable Members of Parliament, Honourable Ministers of State, Senior Government Officials, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I am deeply honoured to address this august House and to convey warm fraternal greetings from the Government and people of the Republic of Ghana.
I wish, at the outset, to express my profound appreciation for the gracious hospitality extended to me and my delegation since our arrival in the beautiful city of Lusaka.
This visit reaffirms the enduring bonds of friendship and solidarity between Ghana and Zambia—bonds forged during the historic struggle for Africa’s political emancipation under the visionary leadership of our founding fathers, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah and Dr Kenneth David Kaunda.
Their shared Pan-African conviction, sacrifice, and courage laid the foundations on which our two nations, and indeed our continent, continue to build.
Ghana’s historic support for Zambia’s liberation struggle is well documented, and generations of Zambian freedom fighters were shaped by Pan-African ideals fostered at institutions such as the Kwame Nkrumah Ideological Institute in Winneba.
Today, our friendship remains grounded in mutual respect, shared democratic values, and a common aspiration for peace, development, and African dignity.
Honourable Speaker, The responsibility of our generation is clear: to translate historic solidarity and political goodwill into concrete economic and social dividends for our peoples.
Our forebears won us independence and nationhood.
Now we must win the fight for economic transformation and prosperity for our people.
We must confront the battle for the economic emancipation of our countries at a time when global geopolitics is undergoing tectonic shifts.
Today, global humanitarian assistance is shrinking.
Official development assistance is declining, defence spending is rising, and traditional multilateral systems are under strain.
Africa, therefore, faces a different pandemic—the pandemic of unfulfilled potential.
Millions of young people remain unemployed; health systems are fragile; and economies extract wealth without building capacity.
Madam Speaker, Africa must confront this changing reality with transparency and pragmatism.
Only days ago, I had the opportunity to address global leaders in Davos, where I spoke about the Accra Reset Initiative and the urgent need for Africa to redefine its development trajectory.
Too many African countries remain trapped in what I describe as triple dependency: ⦁ Dependency on external actors for security choices; ⦁ Dependency on donors for health and education systems; and ⦁ Dependency on suppliers of critical minerals while capturing little or no value.
This condition undermines genuine sovereignty.
History teaches us, however, that a crisis can sharpen resolve.
Africa must take its destiny into its own hands.
The Accra Reset does not seek to disrupt global partnerships.
The Accra Reset advocates the forging of new partnerships to transform global systems that have been rigged against Africa and much of the global south for a long time.
We must reset the narrative through unity of action, self-reliance, and the leveraging of our comparative advantages for industrial growth and economic transformation.
Madam Speaker, We demand a redesign of outdated governance systems, including greater representation in global institutions such as the UN Security Council.
We are calling for a rejigging of the global financial system that keeps Africa in poverty and debt.
While we must work collectively to achieve these objectives, much depends on how we act locally.
Leadership is fundamental to achieving the Accra Reset’s goals.
In Ghana, we are taking action to change our narrative.
Since my return to office one year ago, my administration has been guided by a clear, pragmatic Reset Agenda focused on economic recovery, macroeconomic stability, job creation, and inclusive growth.
This approach is anchored in fiscal discipline, productive investment, good governance, and strengthened regional cooperation.
We have chosen execution over excuses.
We have reduced the size of government to 58 ministers and deputy ministers, including regional ministers.
We are digitalising public services to fight corruption.
We are investing in skills for the future— digital, green, and industrial skills.
We have restructured debt to invest in people, not just to service loans.
This is what “Resetting Ghana” means, and it is delivering results.
I am pleased to note that Ghana has made tangible progress.
Inflation has declined sharply from over 23.4% at the end of 2024 to 3.8% in January 2026.
Currency stability has been restored, with the Ghanaian cedi appreciating by 32% and ranking among the five best-performing currencies in 2025.
We have successfully renegotiated our debt obligations on terms that safeguard our national sovereignty and ensure sustainability, and we are steadily exiting the IMF’s Extended Credit Facility with dignity as partners, not as supplicants.
These reforms are not merely national achievements; they contribute to regional confidence and integration.
In this regard, Zambia is a natural partner.
The complementarities between our economies—notably in mining, agriculture, energy, and manufacturing—present compelling opportunities for joint ventures, value-chain development, and expanded bilateral trade.
Speaker, To achieve economic transformation, Africa must not be ashamed to leverage its comparative advantage in natural resources.
Africa must exercise greater sovereignty over its natural resources if it is to create prosperity for its people.
The era of parceling out large-scale concessions to speculators who then flip them for huge profits must end.
We have the know-how; the technology and capital are available.
Indigenous companies must be encouraged to participate in the extractive sector.
We must support our indigenous private sector to capture the commanding heights of our economies.
In Ghana, mining and the extractive sector play a significant role in our economy.
Much like Zambia and other African countries, we are a source of critical minerals like gold, bauxite, and manganese, yet very little value is added to them locally.
My country is changing that narrative.
Ghana established the Gold Board in April last year to take control of and regulate gold exports.
The Gold Board was given sole authority to export gold out of Ghana.
Since the board's establishment, gold exports from the artisanal and small-scale mining sector have increased from 63 tons to 104 tons over the past 10 months.
This has earned Ghana over $10 billion in forex inflow over the period.
We are taking steps to domesticate the value addition of our minerals.
The Board has recently signed an agreement with a local gold refinery to refine about 1 ton of gold per week, rather than exporting raw Dore gold.
We aim to commence local processing of our manganese and bauxite as well, instead of exporting the raw ores.
We have also replaced the flat-rate royalty system for minerals with a sliding scale from 5% to 12%, depending on the international market price of the mineral.
Hon Speaker, In Dubai this week, I attended the launch of the Global African Investment Summit.
This initiative, led by Akin Adesina, former President of the African Development Bank, and a few collaborators, seeks to find new ways to leverage the continent’s natural resource endowment to raise more affordable financing to support Africa's economic transformation.
This is an exciting initiative and has the potential to unlock enormous financial resources for Africa’s development.
As the African Union (AU) champion of African financial institutions, I am leading advocacy for the repatriation and investment of part of Africa’s huge foreign reserves in African Financial Institutions.
Most of these foreign reserves are by colonial construct held in Western financial institutions and, in most cases, generate no interest.
If 30% of these reserves were repatriated and invested in our own financial institutions, it would create an immense pool of wealth that could drive rapid infrastructural expansion and economic growth.
No African country can survive in isolation.
We must build regional prosperity platforms— shared manufacturing zones, integrated energy grids, and digital infrastructure.
We must negotiate with one voice on minerals, trade, and climate finance.
Unity must be our strategy, not just our slogan.
Madam Speaker, A critical factor in changing Africa’s story is governance and leadership.
Africa needs and deserves transparent and accountable leadership.
The institutions and laws to fight corruption must be allowed to operate without fear or favour.
Abuse of public trust must be punished.
We must protect public resources and use them efficiently for the good of our people.
As President Obama said during a visit to Ghana, “Africa does not need strongmen, it needs strong institutions.”
We must build our democratic institutions to be independent and efficient.
Parliament and the judiciary must work independently in the public interest.
Leaders must respect the oath they swear to respect the Constitution.
In our sub-region of West Africa, democracy is backsliding with a return to military dictatorships.
Ghana, however, is on a mission to prove that democracy works.
Our people can achieve prosperity and opportunity under a constitutional democracy.
Speaker I commend the efforts of the Government and people of Zambia to stabilise your macroeconomic environment.