President John Dramani Mahama will on Saturday host a high-level side event under Ghana’s Accra Reset initiative ahead of the official opening of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union.
Dubbed “Addis Reckoning,” the meeting is expected to convene a select group of African leaders alongside chief executives of private businesses and senior officials of multilateral organisations to deliberate on strategic reforms aimed at repositioning the continent in a rapidly changing global order.
According to the President, the side event is intended to provide a candid space for African leadership to reflect on long-standing structural challenges and identify bold, homegrown solutions.
“This is about taking an honest look at what has held Africa back and agreeing on practical pathways to reset our development trajectory,” President Mahama said ahead of the meeting.
Discussions at the event will focus on a proposed new framework for free movement and talent circulation across Africa, including the possible introduction of a continent-wide digital passport to ease mobility and unlock skills across borders.
Participants will also examine technological innovations to enable Africa to extract greater value from its mineral resources, moving beyond raw material exports to value addition and industrialisation.
“Africa must stop exporting jobs and importing finished products,” President Mahama noted.
“Technology gives us an opportunity to retain value, create employment, and build resilient economies.”
Other key issues on the agenda include reform of global health governance and institutions, as well as strengthening partnerships between African countries and Global South pacesetters on harnessing artificial intelligence for development, productivity, and inclusive growth.
“Artificial intelligence should not widen global inequalities,” the President said. “It must be harnessed in a way that accelerates Africa’s development and empowers our young people.”
President Mahama will be joined by other members of the Accra Reset Presidential Council, including leading champions of the “sovereign prosperity spheres” concept, which advocates deeper regional cooperation, strategic autonomy, and coordinated value creation across African economies.
The outcomes of the Addis Reckoning discussions are expected to feed into broader deliberations at the AU Summit, as African leaders seek new approaches to integration, competitiveness, and sustainable development.
“Africa has the resources, the talent, and the ideas,” President Mahama added. “What we need now is the courage to act differently and collectively.”
Story: Patrick Asford Boadu
