Full text: President Mahama's speech at World Governments Summit 2026
Source: myjoyonline

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. I thank you for your kind attention.