Omanghana
President John Dramani Mahama has urged African countries to take greater control of their natural resources, warning that competition over mineral wealth and extraction profits continues to fuel insecurity across the continent.
Presenting the 2026 Tana State of Peace and Security in Africa Report in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, Mahama argued that lasting peace requires governments to address the economic interests that sustain violence.
He described Africa’s interconnected conflicts as a “continent-wide firestorm”, saying powerful actors within and outside the continent benefit politically and financially from prolonged instability.
Citing Sudan, Mahama said the fighting extends beyond the struggle for political authority in the capital to competition over valuable gold-producing areas. Control of those resources, he argued, remains an important dimension of the conflict.
He also linked the resurgence of the M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo to international competition for mineral wealth, including resources sought for modern technology and the global energy transition.
Turning to Mozambique, the President highlighted the contrast between Cabo Delgado’s offshore gas wealth and the economic exclusion experienced by local communities. He said frustration among young people who see little benefit from nearby resources can deepen grievances and create conditions that armed groups exploit.
Mahama further pointed to insecurity in Niger and Somalia, citing weaknesses in governance and limited national control over resources as challenges to stability.
The President argued that political independence cannot deliver its full promise while African economies remain dependent on extraction arrangements that send raw materials abroad and leave producing communities with limited benefits.
He called for investment in domestic processing and manufacturing so that African countries can retain a greater share of the value generated by their minerals. Such industries, he said, would help create dignified employment and offer young people alternatives to the economic desperation that can make them vulnerable to recruitment by armed groups.
Mahama also urged governments to strengthen their ability to negotiate fair agreements, regulate extraction and ensure that resource revenues improve living conditions in host communities.
He identified the African Continental Free Trade Area as an important means of expanding regional markets, strengthening trade between African countries and supporting industrial development.
His message placed resource governance at the center of Africa’s peace agenda, arguing that security efforts must be accompanied by economic policies that give citizens a meaningful stake in their countries’ wealth.
Source: Omanghana
