Mahama urges world leaders to expand economic opportunities for youth

President John Dramani Mahama has urged world leaders to expand economic, digital and structural opportunities for young people as the global development landscape undergoes significant changes.

Speaking at a presidential roundtable organised by the Open Society Foundation in New York on Monday, September 21, 2026, on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, President Mahama said the international order was facing severe disruption while countries in the Global South continued to contend with mounting debt pressures.

Despite the challenges, he said the changing global environment also presented opportunities for innovation, reform and new partnerships.

“This is when we must create jobs for our people, improve public services, build infrastructure, and expand opportunity, especially for our young people,” he said.

“For countries such as Ghana, the question is how we strengthen our ability to pursue those priorities with greater confidence and continuity, whatever the changes taking place around us,” he added.

President Mahama said Africa had already established a long-term strategic pathway through Agenda 2063, which seeks to promote productive economies, stronger institutions, deeper regional integration and expanded opportunities across the continent.

He stressed that African leaders must strengthen the institutions, financing capabilities and delivery systems required to translate the continent’s ambitions into measurable results.

The President said this would require countries to develop greater capacity to determine and implement their own development priorities while maintaining strategic partnerships with international institutions.

Touching on the Accra Reset Initiative, President Mahama said the initiative seeks to encourage countries to act with greater urgency and self-reliance in an increasingly uncertain global environment.

“The Accra Reset asks what countries need to act with urgency in a changing world, and what a more balanced relationship with international partners could look like,” he said.

He explained that sovereignty, in the context of development, should be understood as the capacity of countries to make and implement decisions.

“When I speak about sovereignty in this context, I speak about the capacity to act. A country needs to be able to set its priorities, negotiate effectively, mobilise resources, and follow through on its decisions,” he stated.

The Accra Reset is a Global South initiative that seeks to strengthen sovereign capacity and reshape international cooperation around shared development priorities.

Addressing Ghana’s own development challenges, President Mahama acknowledged that the country still had significant work to do to exercise greater ownership over its development trajectory.

“We need stronger coordination across government, better preparation of programs and projects, greater domestic resource mobilisation, sound financial management, and institutions that can demonstrate clear results,” he said.

He also called for greater use of expertise outside government, including from civil society, businesses, academia and local communities.

“We must also leverage capabilities outside government, including civil society, business, academia, and local communities and carry our share of the responsibility if we want greater room to lead,” he added.

The President said stronger domestic systems would help Ghana and other countries create greater room to determine and pursue their own development priorities.

President Mahama also urged international partners and philanthropic organisations to move away from short-term programmes towards long-term capability building.

“Can international cooperation do more to build national capability and work through local systems when they meet required standards? Can we reduce unnecessary duplication while protecting accountability?” he asked.

He highlighted the role of philanthropic organisations in areas such as health, education, governance and research, particularly where commercial financing may not be readily available.

According to the President, foundations have the flexibility to support institutional capacity, early-stage programme development, public goods and social priorities.

“Where an approach proves successful, the next step should be its adoption into public systems, local delivery institutions, and long-term financing models,” he said.

The roundtable brought together presidents and chief executives of major global foundations to discuss sustainable development, institutional capacity and financing across the Global South. It formed part of President Mahama’s engagements during the 81st UN General Assembly in New York.