Omanghana
NEW YORK, September 24, 2026 — Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama called for sweeping changes to the United Nations Security Council and international financial system on Thursday, arguing that Africa remains excluded from decisions that shape its future.
Addressing the 81st UN General Assembly, Mahama said Africa’s 1.5 billion people have no permanent seat on the Security Council. He demanded permanent African representation with the same rights and veto powers as existing permanent members, saying the Council’s structure still reflects the geopolitical order that followed World War II.
Mahama also urged reforms to make financing more affordable for developing countries. He said high borrowing costs and mounting debt leave governments with fewer resources for public services, industrial development and climate adaptation. Africa, he argued, needs equal economic partnerships and greater capacity to process its own minerals, build industries and create jobs.
The president linked those demands to his call for reparatory justice over the transatlantic slave trade. Acknowledging historical wrongdoing must lead to practical change, he said, including fairer trade, debt and financial arrangements. He pointed to a resolution Ghana brought before the General Assembly in March recognizing the gravity of the trafficking and enslavement of Africans.
Turning to current conflicts, Mahama called for the protection of civilians in Gaza and reaffirmed Ghana’s support for a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians. He also condemned acts of terrorism by Hamas, urged a stronger humanitarian response in Sudan and renewed Ghana’s call to lift the U.S. embargo on Cuba. On climate change, he pressed developed countries to provide predictable grants that would help vulnerable nations respond without adding to their debt.
Mahama used the address to promote his government’s record at home, saying Ghana had reduced inflation and stabilized its currency. He highlighted infrastructure investment, free primary healthcare and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, known as MahamaCare, while pledging to advance African integration when Ghana assumes the African Union chairmanship in January 2027. Those economic and policy assessments were presented as the president’s claims in the speech
Source: Omanghana
