…Calls for Stronger Unity and Global Influence for Africa
President John Dramani Mahama, has officially opened the 80th Anniversary Conference of the 5th Pan-African Congress in Accra with a powerful call for renewed unity, economic transformation, and continental self-determination.
He warned that despite Africa’s abundant natural resources; the continent remains weak in global influence and continues to face new forms of domination.
Speaking at the event held in Accra, Kwame Nkrumah Museum, on 18-19 November, 2025, Mahama said the commemoration goes beyond celebrating history, it represents a renewed covenant of responsibility and unity for Africa’s future.
He traced the origins of the Pan-African struggle to October 1945, when nationalists, intellectuals, workers, and liberation fighters gathered in Manchester and ignited a movement that accelerated Africa’s independence.
Figures such as Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta, Ras Makonnen, and Amy Ashwood Garvey called for African unity, self-governance, and dignity, principles Mahama said remain urgently relevant today.
“Eighty years on, the struggle has changed, but it is far from over,” he said. “Africa is rich in natural resources but poor in global influence. Too many of our people remain unemployed, undereducated, and excluded from opportunity.”
Mahama lamented that intra-African trade still stands below 20 percent and warned that many young Africans are losing faith in the continent. He said modern Pan-Africanism must tackle economic transformation, technological sovereignty, climate justice, a fairer global financial system, and full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
He stressed that Africa must approach climate negotiations as equal partners rather than passive recipients of aid, noting that the continent contributes the least to global emissions yet suffers the worst climate impacts. “Africa will not be asked to choose between development and sustainability. We demand both,” he said.
Mahama highlighted Africa’s youthful population as the driving force of future Pan-Africanism, noting that the next generation will lead from innovation hubs, digital spaces, creative industries, and universities. He called for massive investment in education, technology, and opportunities that allow African youth to contribute meaningfully.
Turning to governance, he urged current African leaders to manage their economies transparently, fight corruption, and protect the rights and freedoms of citizens. “A divided Africa will always be a vulnerable Africa,” he stated.
Mahama also revealed ongoing discussions with former Obasanjo to establish a League of African Free Movement, starting with seven African countries. The initiative would remove visa requirements among participating nations, paving the way for continent-wide free movement of people.
“It is a shame that we still have to travel to each other’s countries asking for a visa,” he said. He expressed hope that more nations would join the initiative as it grows.
Mahama concluded with a call for unity across generations and sectors: “Africans will determine Africa’s destiny, not external forces, not global markets, but the courage, creativity, and unity of the African people.”
He then declared the 80th anniversary conference of the 5th Pan-African Congress officially open.