Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama, delivered a powerful address at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, urging for bold reforms in global governance and financial systems to give Africa a stronger voice in world affairs.
In his speech, President Mahama stressed the urgent need for United Nations Security Council reform and a reset of the global financial architecture, which he described as being “rigged against Africa.” He emphasized that African nations must have a greater say in multilateral financial institutions that shape global economic policy.
“While I am making requests, I would like to call for the removal of the blockade on Cuba,” Mahama said. “As Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, our nation’s founder, famously declared, ‘We seek to be friends of all and enemies to none.’ The Cuban people shed their blood on African soil in the fight against apartheid. Indeed, Cuba has been, and continues to be, a faithful friend to Africa.”
Mahama highlighted the importance of the United Nations as the modern-day town square, comparing it to the traditional gathering spaces of old cities and villages where communities came together for dialogue, trials, and celebrations. He warned that technology and social media are creating “the illusion of connectivity” while fostering isolation, disinformation, and division through manipulative algorithms.
He further expressed concern over the rise of nationalism, economic instability, and the erosion of multilateralism, likening current conditions to those that led to the collapse of the League of Nations.
Addressing recent geopolitical developments, Mahama condemned the denial of visas to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation, calling it a dangerous precedent for the UN. He reaffirmed Ghana’s longstanding support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, recalling that Ghana recognized the state of Palestine in 1988.
“These are dangerous times,” Mahama concluded, “but it has never been more critical to protect the UN as the one space that brings and holds the world’s nations together as a community.”
