Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has called for African leaders to explore ways of sharing the wealth of this continent for the African youth.
He made these remarks on Friday 29th August, 2026, when he addressed the African Union Executive Council’s 26th Extraordinary Session on Conflict Resolution and Prevention in Angola
There is a need to take a new path, he stated.
“We have pursued all these AU paradigms and protocols and convened meetings to recapitalise the Peace Fund. But perhaps what we should begin to recapitalise, in all humility, is our heart and our mindset. Can we be more tolerant of each other? Can we be more compassionate? Can we be more visionary about the root causes of conflict? We can have $1 billion, $10 billion, $100 billion in a Peace Fund, but it will mean nothing if we do not change course, if we do not adopt a new leadership paradigm”.
He referred to last year’s report by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) which stated that over 2,180 young Africans died in the Mediterranean looking for greener pastures. He called for the need to recommit to job creation, industrialisation, real decentralisation, and sharing the wealth of this continent; the diamonds, the gold, the bauxite, the oil and gas that we have been blessed with if Africa is to stem this sad and dehumanising state of affairs.
Okudzeto Ablakwa posed the question: how can Africa, the richest continent, share these rich resources for the African youth? This is a new paradigm that we need for our continent.
Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has declared Ghana’s strong support for the operationalization and full capitalization of the African Union (AU) Peace Fund toward its $1 billion target.
Also speaking at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of AU Heads of State, President Mahama emphasized that sustainable, predictable, and African-owned financing is critical to resolving persistent security challenges across the continent.
President Mahama noted that effective early warning mechanisms require timely, accessible resources to translate into early preventive action. To achieve financial independence in security operations, he urged member states to accelerate the implementation of the Peace Fund’s resource mobilization strategy, particularly through the 0.2% import levy, while increasing engagement with African financial institutions and the private sector. He also highlighted the “Accra Reset” framework as an important model for self-financing peace, safety, and healthcare initiatives.
In addition to continental efforts, the President welcomed UN Security Council Resolution 2719 of 2023, which provides a framework for funding AU-led peace support operations through UN-assessed contributions. He called for its effective implementation under the core principles of African ownership, accountability, and shared global responsibility.
Welcoming the Luanda Action Plan, its implementation matrix, and the AU Trigger Model, President Mahama insisted that continental commitments must be backed by clear timelines and measurable outcomes. “We have spoken on this topic for too long, and it is time for us to move from words to action,” he stated.
Addressing historical justice, President Mahama updated the assembly on progress following UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/82/50, which recognized the enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity. Following the “Next Steps Conference” hosted in Accra, global momentum on reparatory justice has accelerated, yielding formal apologies, the return of looted artifacts, and dedicated funding commitments.
President Mahama concluded by inviting AU leaders to attend an upcoming high-level side event at the 81st UN General Assembly session in September, where expert panels established in Accra will present key progress reports.
Source:Fiilafmonline/3News
