On the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly, the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama convened a high-level side event under the theme: “Unlocking Africa’s Financial Sovereignty: Strengthening the African Financial Architecture in a New Global Order” in his capacity as the Champion for the African Union Financial Institutions (AUFIs).
The gathering brought together Heads of State, Ministers of State, Central Bank Governors, and Heads of financial institutions from across Africa to deliberate on how the continent can assert control over its financial trajectory.
In his opening remarks, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama underscored that financial sovereignty is critical to Africa’s resilience, agency, and sustainable development. He highlighted the importance of institutions grounded in African realities, stating: “We need to have institutions that understand the continent, understand our private sector, including our culture, and know how to create instruments that will help, especially small and medium enterprises.”
Solidarity messages were delivered by the President of the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency Dr. William Samoei Ruto, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, His Excellency Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Her Excellency Selma Malika Haddadi. They commended His Excellency John Dramani Mahama for convening the meeting and reaffirmed the urgency of collective action, emphasizing the need for deeper integration, stronger continental markets, and reformed global financing rules that reflect Africa’s priorities.
The event concluded with a unified commitment by participating leaders and institutions to fast-track reforms, build stronger continental cooperation, and amplify Africa’s voice in global financial governance. The consensus was clear: Africa must shape the evolving financial order to secure a more resilient and sovereign future.
