By Nana Karikari, Senior Global Affairs Correspondent
President John Mahama’s address at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly was a pivotal statement, brilliantly synthesizing Ghana’s domestic economic turnaround with a fierce demand for global institutional reform. The speech continues to drive continental dialogue, resonating deeply with Ghanaian aspirations for economic self-reliance and global recognition. This dual focus strategically reframes Ghana’s internal achievements as leverage for demanding a greater African voice on the world stage.
Reset Agenda Delivers Economic Relief
The President highlights tangible successes in Ghana’s “reset agenda,” following his non-consecutive second term start in January. He stated inflation dramatically fell from 23.8% in December 2024 to 11.5% in August 2025. This restoration of price stability directly impacts every Ghanaian family’s cost of living. The Ghana cedi became the best-performing currency in the world at one point, per Bloomberg. This appreciation eases pressure on imported goods and boosts national pride. The improved sovereign credit rating reflects increasing investor confidence and market approval for fiscal discipline. This rapid turnaround serves as the core empirical evidence, challenging external narratives that often dismiss African states’ capacity for effective macroeconomic management.
24-Hour Economy Ignites Hope for Jobs
The 24-Hour Economy Initiative offers hope for increased employment and stronger domestic activity. President Mahama explicitly touts this initiative as promising to “transform Ghana’s economy.” For the average Ghanaian, this policy is directly linked to the expectation of secure, better-paying jobs. It signals a renewed willingness among the people to trust that elected officials have Ghana’s interests at heart. The initiative represents a proactive, domestically-driven solution to unemployment, minimizing dependence on volatile global aid or foreign investment for job creation.
Africa’s Demographic Future Demands Respect
Mahama emphatically repeats the assertion, “The future is African!” He cites concrete UN projections: by 2050, over 25% of the world’s population will be African, and one-third of all young people aged 15 to 24 will reside on the continent. This demographic power is the central driver for Africa’s “huge” and “consequential” role. The President insists African resilience and its ability to make a “strong comeback” must be
acknowledged, challenging views rooted in “centuries of racism, colonialism, imperialism, and the resulting implicit bias.” This section strategically pivots the conversation from poverty to power, asserting that global stability itself is contingent upon African development and inclusion.
Demand for UN Reform and Financial Justice
Mahama directly challenges the global power structure. He demands a permanent seat for Africa on the UN Security Council, complete with veto power, stressing the current structure is outdated and violates the UN Charter’s principle of “sovereign equality.” The President links this historical exclusion to the current global financial architecture, stating it is “rigged against Africa.” He argues veto power should not be absolute, demanding a mechanism for the General Assembly to challenge a veto, as suggested by Nelson Mandela 30 years prior. This comprehensive critique marks a shift from mere requests for aid to a political insistence on structural parity, positioning Africa as a global agenda-setter.
Sovereignty, Reparations Drive Foreign Policy
The President’s push for sovereignty over natural resources strikes a major chord, declaring the era of parceling out “vast concession areas to foreign interests” must end. He insists Ghana must “negotiate better for a bigger share.” The move to introduce a UN motion to recognize the slave trade as the “greatest crime against humanity” and demand reparations is a bold Pan-African statement, seeking historical redress and financial equity. By linking natural resource control to historical injustice, Mahama unifies economic nationalism with the long-standing Pan-African project for dignity.
Ablakwa and Belarus: Pragmatic Diplomacy Supporting the ‘Reset’
The bilateral discussions between Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov on the sidelines of the UNGA introduce a critical layer of pragmatic diplomacy that validates the President’s domestic “Reset Agenda.” This engagement, focused on agricultural mechanisation, specifically the provision of advanced farming equipment, technical services, and training in modern technologies, demonstrates the Ghanaian delegation is actively translating its global voice into concrete, diversified economic partnerships. The proactive pursuit of cooperation with Belarus, acknowledged as a non-traditional partner with expertise in mechanisation, shows a strategic move toward economic self-reliance by sourcing solutions outside the traditionally dominant Western financial and aid structures that the President criticizes as “rigged against Africa.” This bilateral action grounds the high-level rhetoric in tangible policy implementation for national growth.
Ghana’s UN Role Sparks Fierce Debate: A Check on Global Ambition
Ghana’s participation at the UNGA sparked a fierce and necessary debate on state broadcaster GTV, injecting a crucial element of domestic political accountability into the narrative of Ghana’s global leadership. Law lecturer Justice Abdullahi dismissed the UNGA as a “talk show,” arguing that its resolutions often remain symbolic due to the veto powers held by a few powerful states, thus directly questioning the ultimate utility of the very institution Mahama is pushing to reform.
Furthermore, Richard Suma branded the UN “a waste of resources” for Africa and, more significantly, rejected the President’s call for reparations, citing the historical role of African chiefs in the slave trade. This deep internal divide on a flagship Pan-African policy demonstrates that Ghana’s bold diplomatic agenda is subject to rigorous domestic scrutiny regarding both its fiscal prudence, with calls to reconsider the cost of large delegations, and its moral consistency. The debate underscores that the pursuit of global influence must constantly be justified and debated in the “proverbial town square” that Mahama himself invoked.
Linking Domestic Strength to Global Voice
Mahama’s address successfully established a central theme: Ghana’s economic competence is the foundation for Africa’s global confidence. By showcasing domestic success, he legitimized his demand for a “reset” of the global order. The bilateral engagement with Belarus proves the UNGA platform was strategically used for actionable, pragmatic economic diplomacy, while the fierce domestic debate highlights that Ghana’s elevated global role is subject to continuous internal political accountability, forcing the government to consistently justify the value of its international engagement to its citizens. The speech served as both a state-of-the-nation report and a bold blueprint for Pan-African policy, solidifying Ghana’s influential leadership while demonstrating the complex reality of managing high-level global ambition alongside democratic accountability at home.
