President John Dramani Mahama has urged world leaders to expand economic, digital, and structural opportunities for the youth.
He made the call at an Open Society Foundation presidential roundtable on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
He said the international development landscape was evolving rapidly, with the global order facing severe disruption as countries in the Global South contend with mounting debt pressures.
President Mahama reiterated that despite the turmoil and challenges, opportunities for innovation and reform remained, noting that in all the disruption and chaos were born new ideas and partnerships.
“This is when we must create jobs for our people, improve public services, build infrastructure, and expand opportunity, especially for our young people,” President Mahama said.
“For countries such as Ghana, the question is how we strengthen our ability to pursue those priorities with greater confidence and continuity, whatever the changes taking place around us.”
He said Africa had already defined its long-term strategic pathway through Agenda 2063, a framework focused on building productive economies, robust institutions, deeper regional integration, expanded opportunities, and a stronger African voice in global affairs.
President Mahama said the continent’s leaders must immediately strengthen the institutions, financing capabilities, and delivery systems needed to achieve these ambitions.
With regards to the “Accra Reset” Initiative, President Mahama said the initiative addresses what nations need to act with greater urgency and self-reliance in a shifting global context.
“The Accra Reset asks what countries need to act with urgency in a changing world, and what a more balanced relationship with international partners could look like,” President Mahama said.
“When I speak about sovereignty in this context, I speak about the capacity to act. A country needs to be able to set its priorities, negotiate effectively, mobilise resources, and follow through on its decisions,” he said.
Touching on internal challenges, President Mahama said Ghana still had significant progress to make to exercise full ownership over its development trajectory.
“We need stronger coordination across government, better preparation of programs and projects, greater domestic resource mobilisation, sound financial management, and institutions that can demonstrate clear results.
“We must also leverage capabilities outside government, including civil society, business, academia, and local communities and carry our share of the responsibility if we want greater room to lead,” he said.
Concerning international partners and philanthropic organisations, President Mahama urged global institutions to shift from short-term programmes to long-term capability building.
“Can international cooperation do more to build national capability and work through local systems when they meet required standards? Can we reduce unnecessary duplication while protecting accountability? he questioned.
Underscoring the vital role of philanthropy in health, education, governance, and research across Africa, President Mahama called on foundations to use their unique flexibility to fund public goods and institutional capacity where commercial finance cannot.
He said Foundations had room to operate differently because they could support institutional capability, early programme development, public goods and social priorities.
He noted that where an approach proved successful, the next step should be its adoption into public systems, local delivery institutions, and long-term financing models.
