President John Dramani Mahama is set to host a major Accra Reset side event in Addis Ababa on Saturday, 14th February 2026, ahead of the official opening of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government.
The event, dubbed Addis Reckoning, is expected to draw continental leaders alongside chief executives of private businesses and representatives of multilateral organisations, positioning Ghana at the centre of high level conversations on Africa’s future development trajectory.
The side event forms part of a series of engagements being led by President Mahama on the margins of the Summit, as African leaders converge to deliberate on shared political, economic, and security priorities.
Addis Reckoning is designed as a strategic platform to advance the principles of the Accra Reset Initiative and to align African leadership around practical pathways for sovereignty, innovation, and shared prosperity.
Discussions at the Accra Reset side event are expected to cover a wide range of issues shaping Africa’s long term competitiveness and resilience. Among the key themes is the proposal for a new framework on free movement and talent circulation across the continent, supported by the concept of a digital passport.
Proponents argue that easing mobility for skills and labour will unlock productivity, strengthen regional integration, and allow African economies to better harness their human capital.
Another central focus will be how technological innovation can help Africa extract greater value from its mineral resources. With the continent holding significant reserves of critical minerals, participants are expected to explore strategies that move African countries beyond raw material exports toward processing, manufacturing, and value addition.
These discussions are likely to intersect with broader conversations on industrial policy, green transitions, and the future of global supply chains. The reform of global health governance and institutions will also feature prominently.
Drawing on lessons from recent global health crises, leaders and experts will examine how existing systems can be restructured to give African countries greater voice, agency, and capacity to respond to health shocks.
In parallel, partnerships among African states and Global South pacesetters on the governance and deployment of artificial intelligence are expected to be explored, reflecting growing interest in how emerging technologies can be harnessed responsibly for development.
Accra Reset Presidential Council Participation
President Mahama will be joined at the Addis Reckoning event by other members of the Accra Reset Presidential Council, including key champions of the sovereign prosperity spheres concept.
This idea promotes coordinated regional platforms where countries align infrastructure, investment, and job creation strategies to negotiate and act collectively rather than individually.
The presence of council members is intended to reinforce the political weight behind the Accra Reset and signal continuity between its conceptual framework and practical leadership.
Organisers say the event is not meant to be a symbolic gathering but a working session where ideas are stress-tested against real-world constraints and opportunities.
The Accra Reset Initiative was launched by President Mahama and other global leaders in September 2025 on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly.
Conceived as a global development framework, it seeks to overhaul traditional development approaches by shifting Africa and the Global South from aid dependency toward sovereignty, workability, and shared value.
In January 2026, President Mahama presented the Accra Reset at the World Economic Forum in Davos, calling for global partnerships grounded in mutual respect rather than charity.
At its core, the initiative responds to what its architects describe as a triple dependency, where African countries rely heavily on external actors for security, social services, and mineral value chains.
The sovereignty pillar focuses on strengthening national capacity to execute homegrown development visions and build strategic partnerships on equal footing.
Workability emphasises moving beyond abstract global targets toward practical, scalable business models and financing systems that can deliver tangible results. Shared value calls for the co design of development initiatives with Global North partners rather than unilateral aid transfers.
Health and Prosperity as Proof of Concept
Global health has been selected as the initial proof of concept for the Accra Reset. Launched at the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit in August 2025, the health sovereignty agenda advocates local manufacturing of vaccines and medical supplies to reduce Africa’s reliance on imports and external supply chains.
Supporters argue that this approach not only enhances resilience but also builds industrial capacity and skilled employment. Beyond health, the initiative advances the idea of prosperity spheres, regional groupings that coordinate policies and investments to strengthen bargaining power and accelerate development outcomes.
Complementing this is the Club of Accra, a coalition of global leaders and thinkers designed to pilot innovative financing solutions through what are described as geostrategic dealrooms.
The Accra Reset is supported by a high level international governance structure, including a Global Presidential Council drawn from Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
This body provides political leadership and accountability, while a Guardians Circle of former heads of state and a Global College of Advisors offer strategic guidance and technical expertise.
Importantly, the Accra Reset is positioned as the international counterpart to President Mahama’s domestic Resetting Ghana Agenda. Domestically, this includes initiatives such as the 24 Hour Economy agenda launched in July 2025 to boost productivity and job creation.
Hosting the Accra Reset side event in Addis Ababa underscores Ghana’s intent to shape continental and global conversations from within Africa’s premier multilateral forum.
As leaders gather for the African Union Summit, Addis Reckoning is expected to serve as a platform for aligning vision with action, reinforcing the idea that Africa’s development future must be driven by agency, innovation, and collaboration on its own terms.
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