President John Dramani Mahama advocates greater opportunities for Africa’s growing youth population, urging governments and development partners to prioritise job creation, expand economic opportunities and strengthen public services amid disruptions to the global economic and development order.
Speaking at a Presidential Roundtable organised by the Open Society Foundations in New York, on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), President Mahama emphasises the need for renewed commitment to inclusive development, particularly as countries across Africa confront the challenges of a rapidly changing global environment.
”The prevailing uncertainty in the international system presents not only challenges but also opportunities for innovation, stronger partnerships and meaningful reforms that support sustainable economic growth.”
President of Ghana, President John Dramani Mahama
The President’s remarks place the needs of young people at the centre of discussions on Africa’s development priorities, highlighting the importance of creating an enabling environment in which the continent’s youthful population can contribute meaningfully to economic transformation.
With Africa experiencing significant demographic growth, the demand for employment, education, skills development and accessible public services continues to shape the continent’s development agenda.
President Mahama’s call underscores the importance of policies that translate Africa’s demographic potential into productive economic participation, while ensuring that young people have access to opportunities that support their aspirations and improve their livelihoods.
Agenda 2063 as a Framework for Africa’s Transformation
President Mahama highlights the African Union’s Agenda 2063 as a long-term framework for advancing Africa’s economic and institutional transformation.
The continental development blueprint provides a basis for building productive economies, strengthening institutions, deepening regional integration and increasing Africa’s influence in global affairs.
”The importance of pursuing these priorities in a period when disruptions to established global economic and development arrangements are reshaping relationships among countries and institutions. For Africa, the changing international landscape presents an opportunity to reassess development strategies, strengthen cooperation and pursue reforms that respond more effectively to the needs of its people. Agenda 2063 remains central to the continent’s ambition to achieve inclusive and sustainable development through economic transformation, improved governance and greater cooperation among African countries.”
President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama
President Mahama’s emphasis on the framework reinforces the need for African nations to align their development priorities with a shared continental vision while strengthening their capacity to respond to emerging global challenges.
The focus on regional integration also highlights the importance of closer economic cooperation among African countries in expanding markets, supporting trade and creating opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs.
Greater integration, alongside stronger institutions and productive economies, is expected to support Africa’s ability to participate more effectively in the global economy.
Global Uncertainty and Opportunities for Reform
The Presidential Roundtable provides a platform for discussions on Africa’s development priorities at a time of uncertainty in the global economic and development system.
President Mahama acknowledges the challenges associated with the changing international environment but maintains that such disruptions can also create opportunities for new approaches to development.
His remarks highlight the need for innovation and partnerships that respond to evolving economic realities while supporting long-term development objectives.
The call for reforms also draws attention to the importance of ensuring that global development arrangements remain responsive to the needs of developing countries, particularly those facing persistent challenges in employment, public service delivery and economic diversification.
For African countries, the changing global order presents an opportunity to strengthen domestic productive capacity, deepen cooperation and explore new pathways for economic growth.
President Mahama’s intervention places these issues within the broader discussion on how governments and international partners can support development strategies that deliver tangible benefits for citizens.
The emphasis on young people further highlights the importance of ensuring that Africa’s development policies respond to the expectations of a generation seeking meaningful employment, economic participation and improved access to essential services.
Trade Minister Joins Presidential Delegation
The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, joins President Mahama at the roundtable, alongside the Minister for Government Communications, Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu.
Also present is the Senior Advisor and Special Aide to the President, Mrs. Joyce Bawah Mogtari, as well as Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Hon. Victor Smith.
Other senior government officials and dignitaries also participate in the engagement, which forms part of President Mahama’s activities on the sidelines of the 81st UNGA in New York.
The participation of the trade and government communications ministers, together with other members of the presidential delegation, reflects the high-level government representation at the engagement.
The roundtable offers an opportunity for President Mahama to articulate Ghana’s development priorities within a wider international discussion on economic transformation, governance, public services and the future of Africa’s development.
Youth Development at the Centre of Africa’s Future
President Mahama’s advocacy for greater opportunities for young people highlights the urgency of addressing employment and development challenges across the continent.
As African governments pursue economic transformation, the creation of productive jobs and the expansion of opportunities remain critical to ensuring that the continent’s growing youth population contributes to national and regional development.
The President’s remarks also underscore the importance of strong public institutions and effective services in supporting inclusive growth and improving the quality of life of citizens.
His call for innovation, partnerships and reforms reinforces the need for coordinated action by governments, development partners and other stakeholders in responding to the continent’s development needs.
Through the engagement, President Mahama brings Africa’s development ambitions into focus at the 81st UNGA, stressing the importance of turning global uncertainty into opportunities for sustainable growth, stronger institutions and improved prospects for future generations.
The discussions align with the broader aspirations of Agenda 2063, which seeks to build a prosperous, integrated and influential Africa, with young people playing a central role in shaping the continent’s future.
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