Omanghana
Addressing the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Ghana’s President delivered a powerful call for reform of global institutions, recognition of Africa’s role in shaping the future, and formal acknowledgment of the transatlantic slave trade as the greatest crime against humanity.
Tracing Africa’s limited role in the founding of both the League of Nations and the United Nations, the president reminded delegates that at the UN’s creation in 1945, only four African states, Egypt, Ethiopia, Liberia, and South Africa, were members. This, he noted, was the consequence of colonial domination following the 1884 Berlin Conference, which partitioned the continent.
“But as fate would have it, the tables are turning,” he declared. “The future of this world is African.” Citing UN projections, he noted that by 2050, one in four people in the world will be African, and one in ten young people between 15 and 24 will live on the continent.
Highlighting Ghana’s domestic progress under his leadership, the president outlined his administration’s “Reset Agenda,” which in just eight months has reduced inflation from 23.8% to 11.5% and strengthened the Ghanaian cedi, at one point ranked by Bloomberg as the world’s best-performing currency.
He called for the United Nations itself to undergo a similar “reset,” noting that the post-World War II order no longer reflects today’s global realities. Specifically, he demanded a permanent African seat on the Security Council with veto power. Quoting Nelson Mandela’s 1995 speech to the UN, he warned that without reform, the organization risks irrelevance.
The president also pressed for a reset of the global financial architecture, which he said is rigged against Africa. He demanded fairer access to multilateral financial institutions, better terms for resource extraction, and an end to exploitative concessions.
On international issues, he reaffirmed Ghana’s support for Palestinian statehood, condemned the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, and urged the lifting of the decades-long blockade on Cuba. He further warned against the dangers of misinformation, isolation, and nationalism fueled by technology, calling the UN the “town square of the modern global village” that must be protected.
Turning to history, he announced Ghana’s intention to introduce a UN resolution recognizing the transatlantic slave trade as the greatest crime against humanity and called for reparations to address the centuries-long exploitation of African people and resources. “We must demand reparations for the plundering of our land, our culture, and our people,” he said.
Closing his speech, the president called for greater inclusion of women and girls in leadership, congratulated the President of the UN and Ghana’s first female Vice President on her election, and expressed hope that the UN would soon appoint its first woman Secretary-General.
“Representation matters,” he said. “And as we shape this new world, let us ensure it is one of justice, equality, and dignity for all.”
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Source: Omanghana.com/Stella
