On Saturday, October 24, President John Dramani Mahama spoke at the Tana High‑Level Forum on Security in Africa in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, warning that foreign powers are actively pursuing strategic influence and access to Africa’s natural resources. He cautioned that the continent could lose control of its political and security future if its leaders fail to act collectively.
Mahama highlighted competition over resources, weak governance and external interference as key drivers of conflict across Africa. He cited fighting in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where clashes are linked to competition over gold, coltan and cobalt. He also pointed to governance failures in Somalia, the marginalisation of young people in Mozambique’s gas‑rich Cabo Delgado, and divisions between ECOWAS and the Alliance of Sahel States as undermining regional security.
“External powers, from the East, the West, and the Gulf, are actively seeking leverage, access, and client states on our soil,” Mahama said. “Let me be clear: Africa is not an empty chessboard for foreign powers to play their games. We are not spectators. But unless we consciously decide to take up the pen and write our own script, someone else will write it for us, and we will not like how the story ends.”
He warned that the growing use of commercial drones by armed groups is making conflicts deadlier, noting that in Sudan alone, low‑cost flying weapons accounted for the vast majority of civilian casualties early this year. The president urged African leaders to strengthen cooperation and take greater control of the continent’s resources and security priorities, warning that failure to do so would leave Africa’s future increasingly shaped by external interests.
Following his remarks, African leaders and security experts are expected to convene a follow‑up session to discuss strategies for countering external interference and enhancing regional cooperation.
