Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has called on African countries to recommit to job creation, industrialisation, real decentralisation and the equitable sharing of the continent’s wealth.
He made the call on Friday, August 29, 2026, when he addressed the African Union Executive Council’s 26th Extraordinary Session on Conflict Resolution and Prevention in Angola.
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Mr. Ablakwa lamented what he described as the sad situation facing many African young people seeking opportunities outside the continent.
He referred to images from last month showing more than 72,000 African youth desperately trying to enter Ceuta, Spain, during which 111 people died.
He also noted that about 600 million Africans currently do not have access to electricity, representing 43 per cent of the continent’s population.
The Foreign Affairs Minister further cited a report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which stated that more than 2,180 young Africans died in the Mediterranean last year while searching for better opportunities.
To address the situation, Mr. Ablakwa called on African leaders to recommit to creating jobs, promoting industrialisation, pursuing real decentralisation and ensuring that Africa’s wealth benefits its people.
He said the continent must find ways to share the benefits of its abundant natural resources, including diamonds, gold, bauxite, oil and gas, to create opportunities for African citizens, particularly the youth.
“[African leaders must] recommit to job creation, industrialization, real decentralization, and sharing the wealth of this continent; the diamonds, the gold, the bauxite, the oil and gas that we have been blessed with,” he said.
