President Mahama Calls for Africa-Led Reset of Global Development Model at Davos

President of Ghana, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, has called for a bold, Africa-led reset of the global development and multilateral governance system, warning that the current international order is breaking down and no longer serves the interests of the Global South.

Speaking at a high-level convening of the Accra Reset Initiative on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, President Mahama said the world has reached a critical turning point.

“Our world as we know it is at an inflection point. The global, multilateral governance system universally agreed after the Second World War is breaking down,” he said.

President Mahama noted that bilateral relations are increasingly transactional, while many countries are acting unilaterally in pursuit of narrow national interests—developments he said disproportionately disadvantage Africa.

Africa Must Be at the Table

Reflecting on Africa’s post-independence journey, the President said the continent can no longer afford a development model rooted in dependency.

“Africa has lagged behind in the decades following liberation from colonial rule and has been trapped in cycles of conflict and multidimensional poverty. This is not sovereignty. It is a trap—and it is getting worse,” he stated.

He stressed that although no clear name has yet been given to the emerging global order, Africa intends to help shape it.

“While no specific name has yet been coined 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,” President Mahama said.

Lessons from COVID-19

President Mahama described the COVID-19 pandemic as a stark reminder of Africa’s vulnerability within global systems, noting that the continent was the last to receive vaccines during the crisis.

“Africa was the last continent to begin receiving vaccines amid a global pandemic. That experience was a wake-up call,” he said, adding that Africa’s resilience prevented an even greater catastrophe.

Ghana’s Economic Turnaround

Highlighting Ghana’s recent economic recovery, President Mahama said decisive leadership and accountability have helped restore stability after years of economic distress.

“From a debt-distressed, crisis-ridden economy, we have achieved a strong turnaround—restoring macroeconomic stability, reducing inflation, strengthening our currency, and rebuilding business confidence,” he said.

However, he cautioned that Ghana’s progress alone is insufficient.

“Ghana’s success alone is not enough. We cannot be a jewel in a desert of distress. We must work together as Africa,” he emphasized.

The ‘Triple Dependency’ Challenge

President Mahama warned that many African countries are trapped in what he described as “triple dependency”—reliance on external actors for security, donor funding for social services, and the export of raw materials without value addition.

“We supply the world’s critical minerals but capture almost none of the value. This is not development,” he said.

The Accra Reset Vision

The President presented the Accra Research Initiative as a practical framework rather than another political declaration.

“This is not a talk shop. It is not a wish list. It is a practical blueprint for how countries can work together to build real sovereignty—sovereignty you can measure in jobs created, children educated, and young people thriving,” he explained.

He called for African countries to negotiate collectively on critical minerals, invest in regional manufacturing hubs, and build domestic capacity in areas such as vaccines, energy, and technology.

A Call to Global Partners

President Mahama concluded with a call for genuine partnership between the Global South and Global North.

“We did not come here to ask for charity. We came to propose a global partnership of the willing, based on mutual respect and shared prosperity,” he said.

Invoking the words of former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, Mahama said leadership must be judged by legacy.

“I want to leave a continent where young people no longer risk their lives crossing the Mediterranean because opportunity exists at home,” he declared.

As discussions continue from Davos to Addis Ababa and beyond, President Mahama said the real question facing global leaders is no longer whether change is needed.

“The question is whether we have the courage to build it.”