President John Dramani Mahama has cautioned African leaders against equating dependence on external support with sovereignty, describing the continent’s current development model as a growing trap rather than true independence.
Speaking at the Accra Reset Convening held on Thursday, January 22, in Davos, Switzerland, President Mahama said many African countries remain caught in what he termed a “triple dependency” that undermines their ability to make independent decisions.
According to him, the first challenge is reliance on foreign powers for security choices. The second is dependence on external donors to sustain critical social services such as health and education. The third, he noted, is the continued export of Africa’s critical minerals with little or no value addition retained on the continent.
“This is not sovereignty. It is a trap, and it is becoming deeper,” the President said.
President Mahama argued that Africa’s path to genuine independence lies in building strong internal capacity and acting collectively to shape its own future. He stressed that moments of crisis often expose hard truths and create the urgency needed for change.
“In moments of reflection, one lesson becomes clear,” he said. “Crisis creates clarity, and that clarity tells us that Africa must build its own capacity to act.”
He urged African leaders to move beyond rhetoric and adopt practical measures that strengthen regional cooperation, economic resilience and local value creation as the foundation for sustainable development.