John Dramani Mahama is attending a summit in Dubai
President John Dramani Mahama has praised the partnership between Ghana and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a blueprint for building future global alliances.
Speaking at the World Governments Summit (WGS) 2026 in Dubai, President Mahama stressed the importance of ensuring these partnerships are practical, results-driven, and mutually advantageous.
President Mahama showcased Ghana’s innovative Goldbod initiative, which has successfully generated over $10 billion in less than a year, illustrating how effective international collaboration can yield significant economic benefits.
He noted that the evolving partnerships between Ghana, the UAE, and the broader African region are becoming a vital component of the new global landscape, grounded in shared accountability, economic development, and climate action.
The president argued that traditional alliances need to be rethought to tackle pressing challenges such as climate change, food and energy insecurity, and increasing inequality.
“The alliances of the future must be anchored in shared responsibility and reflect our common destiny,” President Mahama stated at the summit.
He also highlighted Ghana’s commitment to enhancing sovereignty and adding value to its natural resources through the Goldbod initiative.
This aims to ensure that Africa retains a larger share of the value from its minerals and agricultural products.
President Mahama outlined Ghana’s long-term strategy to process and enhance the value of its resources, including gold, manganese, bauxite, lithium, petroleum, and key agricultural items.
He emphasised that new partnerships with Africa should focus on industrialisation, supply-chain development, and shared prosperity, moving away from mere extractive trade models.
“Africa welcomes global partners not just for trade, but for transformative collaboration,” he asserted.
Climate action and Ghana–UAE collaboration
President John Dramani Mahama also underscored the critical importance of climate action within modern global partnerships.
He highlighted that, despite contributing the least to global emissions, Africa is disproportionately affected by climate-related challenges.
He presented the Ghana-UAE partnership as a tangible example of this commitment, referencing a $30 million grant secured to support climate initiatives, protect biodiversity, and foster inclusive development.
He also called for climate justice, urging developed nations to honor their commitments to climate finance, adaptation support, and fair energy transitions.
Africa’s role in emerging global landscape
The President emphasised that Africa’s growing population, rich resources, and expanding market of over 1.3 billion people position the continent as integral to the future global economy, rather than marginal.
He pointed to initiatives like the Accra Reset as a guiding framework for Africa’s transition from reliance on aid to a focus on trade, investment, and equitable global partnerships, while also highlighting the need for accountable governance, strong institutions, and transparent leadership in African nations.
President Mahama reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to fostering peace and stability in West Africa, viewing security as a crucial foundation for development and sustainable partnerships.
He advocated for renewed multilateralism, more equitable global governance frameworks, and alliances based on collaboration rather than conflict.
“The future of global alliances is not solely about treaties,” he remarked.
“It’s about the vision we choose to create—a world where nations rise together, rather than apart.”
NAD/AE
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