Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama, has used his address to the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to call for sweeping global reforms and the lifting of the decades-long blockade on Cuba.
“We demand not only a reform of the Security Council, but also a reset of the global financial architecture, which is currently rigged against Africa,” Mahama told delegates in New York.
“Africa must have a greater say in the world’s multilateral financial institutions.”
The Ghanaian leader went further, extending solidarity to Cuba, a country he described as a true ally of Africa. “While I am making requests, I would like to call for the removal of the blockade on Cuba,” he declared.
Invoking the words of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Mahama said: “We seek to be friends of all and enemies to none.”
“The Cuban people shed their blood on African soil in the fight against apartheid,” he reminded the Assembly. “Indeed, Cuba has been, and continues to be, a faithful friend to Africa.”
Mahama’s remarks tie into a broader push by African leaders for fairness in international governance, from reforming the UN Security Council to securing a stronger African voice in financial institutions such as the IMF and World Bank.
The Ghanaian President underscored that global justice cannot be selective.
“If we are to uphold the principles of equality and sovereignty, we must dismantle the structures of discrimination, whether they exist in financial systems, in global decision-making, or in the continued blockade of Cuba.”
Story: Patrick Asford Boadu
