Africa will not remain passive arena for new scramble for resources – President Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has warned that Africa will not allow its vast natural resources, particularly critical minerals, to become the basis for a new era of external exploitation.
Addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Mahama said Africa must ensure that the extraction of its critical minerals translates into industrial development, decent jobs and greater economic value for its people.
“Africa will not remain a passive arena for a new scramble for resources,” he declared.
He cautioned that the extraction of critical minerals needed to power the global green energy transition must not replicate the exploitative patterns associated with the colonial era.
“Critical mineral extraction in Africa must not replicate the colonial era exploitation,” President Mahama said.
According to him, African countries must move beyond exporting raw materials and instead develop local processing and manufacturing industries that retain a greater share of the value generated from the continent’s natural resources.
“We will process our minerals at home. We will build local industries that create dignified jobs for our youth, and we retain the value of our natural resources in Africa,” he stated.
President Mahama said Africa possesses significant resources needed for the global transition to cleaner energy, alongside a young population, vast arable land and substantial cultural and economic potential.
He argued that these assets should form the foundation for mutually beneficial partnerships between Africa and the rest of the world rather than perpetuating patterns of resource extraction without corresponding development.
The President also linked Africa’s resource agenda to the broader push for structural transformation and intra-African trade.
He highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), whose Secretariat is hosted in Ghana, as a key instrument for expanding intra-African trade, supporting industrialisation and creating opportunities for African businesses.
President Mahama said Africa was seeking equal partnership rather than charity, anchored in mutual respect and shared economic interests.
“Africa does not seek charity. Africa seeks equal partnership,” he told the General Assembly.
He further called for reforms to the international financial architecture, including access to affordable and sustainable financing that would enable developing countries to invest in industrialisation, human capital and climate adaptation.
The President said the push for greater economic sovereignty was also connected to the historical inequalities that continue to shape global economic relations.
He maintained that the injustices of the past remain reflected in contemporary global power structures, including unfair trade arrangements, resource extraction, debt burdens and unequal access to finance.
President Mahama urged African leaders to complement calls for international reforms by promoting transparent and accountable governance at home and ensuring that the continent’s resources are managed in the interest of its people.
He said Africa’s future should be defined by value addition, industrial growth and dignified employment rather than continued dependence on the export of unprocessed commodities.
