President John Dramani Mahama has called on African leaders to unite against foreign interference and assert greater control over the continent’s political, economic and security affairs, warning that competing global powers are seeking strategic influence and access to Africa’s natural resources.
Addressing the 12th Tana High Level Forum on Security in Africa in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, President Mahama stressed that African countries must determine their own development priorities and safeguard their national interests rather than allow external powers to shape their collective future.
“External powers, from the East, the West, and the Gulf, are actively seeking leverage, access, and client states on our soil,” he said.
The President cautioned that without a united continental response and a shared strategic vision, Africa could become an arena for rival foreign powers pursuing their own geopolitical and economic ambitions.
“Africa is not an empty chessboard for foreign powers to play their games. We are not spectators,” he declared.
Mr Mahama maintained that African nations must take the initiative in determining their political and economic direction, insisting that the continent’s future should be shaped by the aspirations and decisions of its own people.
He warned that failing to exercise this responsibility could leave African countries vulnerable to decisions taken by external actors whose interests might not align with the continent’s priorities.
“But unless we consciously decide to take up the pen and write our own script, someone else will write it for us, and we will not like how the story ends,” he said.
The President consequently called for deeper African unity, stronger cooperation and greater continental ownership of decisions concerning governance, economic development and security.
He argued that African leaders must establish clear common priorities and strengthen their collective capacity to defend the continent’s sovereignty at a time when international competition for strategic influence and access to resources continues to intensify.
