President John Dramani Mahama is set to address the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York today, September 24, 2026, with reparatory justice, global development and Africa’s role in shaping a fairer international system expected to feature prominently in his address.
The address will form part of the high-level General Debate, where heads of state and government present their countries’ priorities and perspectives on major global issues.
According to a report by the Daily Graphic, sources close to President Mahama’s delegation indicated that his address is expected to highlight progress following the adoption of a Ghana-led resolution on reparatory justice for Africans and people of African descent.
Mahama expected to push reparatory justice agenda
A major focus of the President’s UN engagement is expected to be the global reparatory justice movement, an issue Ghana has placed prominently on the international agenda.
President Mahama previously chaired the 24-member Global Advisory Panel for Reparatory Justice, which brought together African and Caribbean leaders and other prominent advocates. His administration has continued to push for international discussions on the historical consequences of the transatlantic enslavement of Africans and the need for restitution and reparative measures.
The President is expected to outline developments following the passage of the Ghana-led UN resolution and discuss what he considers the next steps in advancing international cooperation on reparatory justice.
The issue has also featured prominently in events surrounding this year’s UN General Assembly. On September 23, President Mahama called for the immediate and unconditional return of African human remains, sacred artefacts and looted cultural property during a high-level side event in New York.
Focus on restitution of African cultural heritage
The question of returning African cultural property is another issue associated with Ghana’s reparatory justice campaign.
The President’s September 23 engagement focused on international cooperation for the return and restitution of cultural properties and heritage. Ghana’s Information Services Department reported that Mahama argued that African cultural heritage represents the identity, memory and living traditions of communities and should be returned to the people who created it.
The wider campaign has also attracted discussions with European institutions and countries over historical responsibility, restitution and the preservation of the history of the transatlantic slave trade.
Mahama to promote Accra Reset agenda
Beyond reparatory justice, President Mahama is expected to use his UN platform to advance the Accra Reset agenda, particularly issues concerning global development and the ability of countries in the Global South to determine their own development priorities.
Ahead of the UN General Assembly address, Mahama hosted a high-level Accra Reset event in New York on September 21 under the theme “Full Circle: Making Global Development Work Again.”
The event brought together international stakeholders to discuss how global development systems could better serve Africa and other countries in the Global South.
The President is also expected to highlight the need for greater control over health and development priorities, following the launch of the “A Sovereign Future for Health” report during the Accra Reset discussions.
Ghana’s broader agenda at UNGA 81
President Mahama’s participation in the 81st UN General Assembly extends beyond his main address.
According to the government’s announced programme, the President is holding meetings with world leaders, the UN Secretary-General and executives of multinational companies as part of efforts to strengthen partnerships and promote investment in Ghana.
He is also scheduled to engage business leaders through a US-Ghana Presidential Roundtable organised by the US-Africa Chamber of Commerce and to ring the NASDAQ Closing Bell as part of efforts to promote Ghana as an investment destination.
Other engagements include participation in the Ocean Panel Leaders’ Meeting and an appearance at the Council on Foreign Relations. President Mahama is also expected to meet members of the Ghanaian community in New York during a town hall scheduled for September 25.
Why Mahama’s UN address matters
The President’s address comes at a time when Ghana is seeking to place issues of reparatory justice, restitution, development financing and greater agency for the Global South more prominently within international discussions.
The UN General Assembly provides Ghana with a major diplomatic platform to present its position to representatives of member states and to build support for initiatives being championed by the government.
The official UN documentation for the 81st session records the Assembly’s programme under the theme “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All.”
President Mahama’s address is therefore expected to connect Ghana’s priorities on reparatory justice and development with the broader global conversation about reforming international institutions and strengthening multilateral cooperation.
