President John Dramani Mahama has called on African nations to break away from long-standing dependence on foreign aid and focus on building self-sustaining economies through unity and coordinated action.
Speaking after his address to the Zambian Parliament on Thursday, February 6, President Mahama said declining global humanitarian support should serve as a wake-up call for the continent to take charge of its own development agenda.
He said Africa must shift from what he described as a “cup in hand” approach and instead strengthen internal capacity and cooperation. According to him, the era of relying heavily on external assistance is no longer viable.
Mahama explained that his Zambian Parliament address was designed to challenge African leadership to rethink current development strategies and align around shared continental goals. He pointed to the Accra Reset framework as a guide for deeper unity, regional cooperation, and joint decision making among African states.
He stressed that stronger collaboration in trade, natural resource management, and economic planning would help African countries build resilience, improve their negotiating power globally, and reduce vulnerability to external shocks.
The President maintained that Africa’s long-term progress depends on collective resolve, practical partnerships within the continent, and policies that promote self-reliance and shared growth.