President John Dramani Mahama addressed world leaders at an Open Society Foundations presidential roundtable on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, urging them to broaden economic, digital and structural opportunities for young people as the global development landscape transforms.
Mahama warned that the global order is facing severe disruption and that countries in the Global South are grappling with mounting debt pressures. He said these challenges also open doors for innovation, reform and new partnerships. “This is when we must create jobs for our people, improve public services, build infrastructure, and expand opportunity, especially for our young people,” he said.
He highlighted Africa’s long‑term strategic pathway through Agenda 2063, which seeks productive economies, stronger institutions, deeper regional integration and expanded opportunities. African leaders, he urged, must strengthen the institutions, financing capacity and delivery systems needed to realise those ambitions.
On the “Accra Reset” Initiative, Mahama explained it calls for countries to act with greater urgency and self‑reliance in a changing global environment. “The Accra Reset asks what countries need to act with urgency in a changing world, and what a more balanced relationship with international partners could look like,” he said. “When I speak about sovereignty in this context, I speak about the capacity to act. A country needs to be able to set its priorities, negotiate effectively, mobilise resources, and follow through on its decisions,” he added.
Turning to Ghana’s internal challenges, Mahama said the country still has significant work to do to exercise greater ownership of its development trajectory. He called for stronger coordination across government, better preparation of programmes and projects, greater domestic resource mobilisation, sound financial management and institutions that can demonstrate clear results. He also urged the country to leverage capabilities outside government, including civil society, business, academia and local communities.
Mahama urged international partners and philanthropic organisations to shift from short‑term programmes towards long‑term capability building. He asked whether international cooperation could do more to build national capability and work through local systems when they meet required standards, and whether duplication could be reduced while protecting accountability. He highlighted the role of philanthropy in health, education, governance and research across Africa, calling on foundations to use their flexibility to support public goods and institutional capacity where commercial finance cannot.
He noted that successful approaches should be adopted into public systems, local delivery institutions and long‑term financing models. The president’s remarks underscored a call for a collaborative, sustainable approach to youth empowerment and national development in an era of rapid change.
