By: Celestine Avi and Seth Eyiah
Luanda, Angola – President John Dramani Mahama has called for stronger implementation, coordination and sustainable financing of Africa’s peace and security mechanisms to enable the continent to respond more effectively to persistent and emerging conflicts.
Addressing the 21st Extraordinary Session of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Luanda, Angola, President Mahama stressed the need for African ownership of both the continent’s peace and security agenda and its financing.
Early Warning Must Lead to Early Action
President Mahama said early warning systems must translate into early action, which requires resources that are timely, predictable and sustainable.
He welcomed progress in operationalising the African Union Peace Fund and called for continued efforts to capitalise the Fund towards its US$1 billion target.
He also urged the accelerated implementation of the Peace Fund’s resource mobilisation strategy, including the effective application of the 0.2 percent import levy, while encouraging greater mobilisation of resources from African financial institutions, the private sector and other African sources.
Ghana Backs UN Financing for AU Peace Operations
Ghana, he said, recognises the importance of predictable international financing for African-led peace support operations.
President Mahama welcomed UN Security Council Resolution 2719 of 2023, which provides a framework for financing AU-led peace support operations through UN assessed contributions.
He called for continued efforts to operationalise the framework in line with the principles of African ownership, accountability and shared responsibility for maintaining international peace and security.
Conflict Prevention Must Support Development
President Mahama said conflict prevention must be integrated into Africa’s broader development agenda.
He noted that early warning systems should not only identify imminent threats but also help detect and address the underlying grievances that fuel conflicts.
Ghana, he said, welcomes and endorses the Luanda Action Plan, its implementation matrix and accompanying decision, as well as the African Union Trigger Model.
Africa Must Finance Its Own Peace and Security
President Mahama stressed that African ownership of peace and security must be matched by African ownership of its financing.
He called for a financing architecture that is predictable enough for planning, flexible enough to respond to emerging crises and sustainable enough to reduce excessive dependence on external resources.
He also referenced Ghana’s Accra Reset, saying it contains important lessons on self-financing beyond healthcare, including peace and security.
President Mahama urged the AU to ensure that commitments arising from the summit are backed by clear responsibilities, timelines, measurable indicators and credible financing arrangements.
“We have spoken on this topic for too long, and it is time for us to move from words to action,” he said.
Ghana Advances Global Reparations Agenda
President Mahama also highlighted Ghana’s leadership in the global campaign for reparatory justice.
He recalled the landmark UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/80/250, adopted on March 25, 2026, which recognised the trafficking of enslaved Africans and the system of racialised chattel enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity.
The resolution was adopted with 123 votes in favour, following collaboration among the African Union, CARICOM and the African diaspora.
Ghana Hosts Next Steps Conference
President Mahama said the UN resolution marked not the end of the reparations campaign but the beginning of a broader global conversation on historical injustice and reparatory justice.
As the African Union Champion for Reparations, Ghana convened the Next Steps Conference on Reparatory Justice in Accra in June.
The conference resolved to include indentured labour as another historical injustice requiring attention and established three key bodies: a High-Level Advisory Council on Reparatory Justice, a Global Experts Panel on Restitution of Cultural Heritage and a Global Legal Panel on Reparatory Justice.
Global Momentum for Reparations
President Mahama said reparations, once considered a taboo subject, have now become an important issue on the global agenda, with several countries taking steps to address historical injustices and return looted cultural artefacts.
He cited recent developments involving France, the Catholic Church and the Church of England as indications of growing international attention to the issue.
Mahama Invites Leaders to UNGA Side Event
President Mahama said Ghana will use a side event at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in September to receive updates from the high-level advisory council and expert panels established through the Accra conference.
He extended an invitation to fellow African leaders to participate in the side event as Ghana continues to champion the global reparatory justice agenda.
