On the margins of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York, the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, in his capacity as the African Union Champion for Financial Institutions, convened a high-level side event under the theme: “Unlocking Africa‘s Financial Sovereignty: Strengthening the African Financial Architecture in a New Global Order.”
The meeting brought together Heads of State, Ministers, Central Bank Governors, and leaders of financial institutions from across the continent to deliberate on strategies for asserting Africa’s control over its financial destiny.
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In his opening remarks, President Mahama emphasised that financial sovereignty is indispensable to Africa’s resilience, agency, and sustainable development. He underscored the need for institutions that are rooted in African realities, stressing: “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 His Excellency Dr William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya; His Excellency Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia; and Her Excellency Selma Malika Haddadi, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission. They commended President Mahama for his leadership in convening the meeting and echoed the urgency of collective action, particularly in driving deeper integration, strengthening continental markets, and pushing for global financial reforms that align with Africa’s priorities.
The side event concluded with a strong consensus among participants to fast-track reforms, deepen continental cooperation, and amplify Africa’s voice in shaping global financial governance. Leaders reaffirmed that Africa must play a decisive role in shaping the evolving global financial order to secure a more resilient and sovereign future.
