President John Dramani Mahama called for accelerated implementation of African economic integration policies, including conflict free mineral certification and a continent wide payments system, as he positioned the Accra Reset initiative as a practical blueprint for economic sovereignty on Saturday.
Mahama made the remarks in Addis Ababa during the closing session of the Accra Reset side event held on the sidelines of the 39th African Union (AU) Assembly of Heads of State and Government. The meeting, titled Accra Reset’s Addis Reckoning, brought together government officials, private sector leaders, international partners and civil society representatives.
The president stated that African leaders come with decisions, agree and develop frameworks, but what is missing is urgency and implementation. He criticized the tendency to take time and behave as if time is waiting, emphasizing the need for immediate action to translate continental agreements into tangible outcomes.
Mahama said the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) sits at the center of Africa’s resource sovereignty debate, backing calls by Congo’s Minister for Foreign Trade Julien Paluku Kahongya for certification systems to distinguish between minerals extracted for public benefit and those tied to armed conflict. He stated that DRC is at the epicenter of the resource curse, adding that global demand for minerals used in digital devices has contributed to international indifference toward violence.
The president noted that the world has closed its eyes to the carnage in DRC because it needs the coltan and tantalum, referencing the link between consumer electronics manufacturing and ongoing conflicts in eastern Congo. He argued that certification systems could help break the connection between mineral extraction and conflict financing.
A central focus of Mahama’s remarks was the need to expand intra African payment infrastructure that allows businesses to trade without relying on third party currencies. He cited the intervention of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretary General Wamkele Mene, describing the cost and inefficiency of African small businesses being forced to convert local currencies into dollars or euros to settle trade between African markets.
Mahama stated that the Pan African payment and settlement system is a thing whose time has come and requires urgency, arguing that exporters should be able to receive payment in their domestic currency including Ghana’s cedi. He emphasized that eliminating currency conversion requirements would reduce transaction costs and accelerate intra African trade flows.
The president pointed to signs of improving continental connectivity, crediting private airlines and emerging maritime services for reducing barriers that have long hindered intra African commerce. He highlighted ASKY Airlines’ West African network and Ethiopian Airlines’ broad continental coverage as examples of improved air connectivity.
Mahama referenced new reefer vessel routes redistributing cargo along the West African coast from Dakar to Douala and a proposed ferry service to transport trucks and cargo between ports including Accra, Lagos and Monrovia. He stated that once supply and demand are in place, the logistics will follow.
The president framed African prosperity as aligned with global economic interests, echoing remarks he attributed to a United Kingdom representative who said Europe benefits when Africa grows. He stated that Africa’s prosperity is not a threat to anybody in this world, adding that Africa’s prosperity will consolidate world prosperity.
Mahama praised Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty for what he described as a Pan Africanist intervention, saying it reminded him of Ghana’s first president Kwame Nkrumah. He closed by urging African leaders and stakeholders to move from discussion to execution, stating that from Addis Ababa, leaders must stop talking and start implementing.
The Accra Reset side event was attended by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, AfCFTA Secretary General Wamkele Mene, Minister of Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Local Government Ahmed Ibrahim, and Minister of Works and Housing Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, among others.
President Mahama was elected First Vice Chairperson of the African Union during the 39th Ordinary Session as Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye officially assumed the rotating chairmanship for 2026. The newly constituted Bureau of the Assembly for 2026 includes Ghana as First Vice representing West Africa, Tanzania as Second Vice for East Africa, and Angola as Rapporteur for Southern Africa.
The Accra Reset initiative, launched by President Mahama in January 2026 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, emphasizes Africa’s determination to transition from aid dependency toward investment led growth, economic sovereignty and global partnerships based on mutual respect and shared prosperity. The framework has attracted support from influential African nations including South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt and DRC, alongside Global South partners such as Brazil, India, Indonesia and Barbados.
President Mahama announced at the Saturday event that Ghana will stop using foreign financing to purchase cocoa and instead raise domestic bonds in cedis, while also setting a 2030 deadline to end exports of unprocessed mineral ores. He revealed that Ghana has capacity to process 400,000 tons of cocoa beans locally but cannot allocate them to domestic processors because beans are collateralized under current financing structures.
The president stated that by 2030, there will not be any raw mineral ores leaving Ghana, emphasizing that raw manganese ore, raw bauxite ore and raw iron ore must all be processed locally. He linked the urgency to rising pressure from Africa’s youthful population, stating that providing opportunities for young people requires rapid action.
Mahama tied the agenda to irregular migration, stating that Accra Reset needs urgency to stop young people from braving dangers of the Sahara Desert and Mediterranean Sea as they try to reach Europe searching for opportunity. He called for formation of a coalition of the willing to move reforms quickly if parts of the continent are not ready, allowing others to follow and join later.
Former President Obasanjo commended President Mahama for championing the Accra Reset agenda, describing it as an important tool for advancing Africa’s self reliance. The 39th AU Summit officially opened on Saturday, February 14, 2026, with discussions focusing on reparations, gender equality, financial inclusion and continental integration.
President Mahama is also scheduled to undergo Ghana’s second generation peer review under the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) during the summit. He inaugurated the newly constituted National African Peer Review Mechanism Governing Council at Jubilee House on Tuesday, February 10, marking a critical milestone in Ghana’s commitment to the pan African governance framework.
President Mahama and First Lady Lordina Dramani Mahama departed Accra on Thursday, February 12, and are expected to return on Monday, February 16, following the conclusion of summit activities and bilateral engagements. The First Lady attended the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) summit focused on development initiatives.
