President John Dramani Mahama has called for a bold “reset agenda” at the United Nations, declaring that Africa will play a decisive role in shaping the world’s future.
Speaking at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the Ghanaian leader emphasized that Africa is no longer on the sidelines of history, but at the center of global transformation.
“According to the UN’s own projections, by the year 2050 more than one in every four human beings on Earth will be African,” President Mahama told delegates.
“One in every three young people will be African. The future, ladies and gentlemen, is African. Allow me to say this again, a little louder, for those at the back: the future is African.”
Tracing Africa’s limited role in the founding of both the League of Nations and the United Nations, Mahama noted that most of the continent was excluded because of colonial rule.
“In 1945, only four African nations, Egypt, Ethiopia, Liberia and South Africa, were represented among the UN’s 51 founding members,” he said. “Africa was not offered a seat at the table. But as fate would have it, the tables have turned.”
The President stressed that Africa is already a “catalyst for human potential, development, and systemic change,” pointing to Ghana’s own economic turnaround under his leadership.
“When I assumed office in January, inflation stood at 23.8%, our currency was in freefall, and confidence was low,” Mahama recalled.
“In just eight months, inflation has dropped to 11.5%, the Ghana cedi has been ranked by Bloomberg as the world’s best-performing currency, and investor confidence is rising.
“Our 24-Hour Economy Initiative promises to transform our economy and create jobs for our people.”
He described Ghana’s reforms as part of a broader “reset agenda,” and urged the UN to follow suit. “At 80 years, the United Nations must also recalibrate.
The world has changed beyond recognition since 1945, yet the UN remains bound by outdated structures.
“If I felt like Rip Van Winkle returning from an eight-year slumber, imagine what it means for this organisation after eighty years.”
Calling for bold reforms, Mahama urged the Assembly to acknowledge Africa’s growing influence. “Africa’s resilience has always been underestimated,” he said.
“Each time the world is ready to discount us, we rise, we rebound, and we redefine the possible. This is the Africa that must be embraced in the UN’s future.”
The Ghanaian leader ended his address with a reminder that while Africa is rising, global progress depends on unity. “Yes, the future is African.
But more importantly, the future is shared. Let us build it together—with equity, with justice, and with an unshakable belief in the dignity of all people.”
Story: Patrick Asford Boadu
