President John Dramani Mahama has linked the growing security crisis in the Sahel to the aftermath of the Libya conflict, the spread of arms and the movement of terrorist groups into the region.
Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, President Mahama said the military coups that have occurred in several Sahel countries should be viewed against the backdrop of the region’s worsening security situation.
He also explained the thinking behind Ghana’s Accra Reset initiative and the country’s broader push for a more self-reliant and integrated Africa.
According to President Mahama, the Accra Reset was partly driven by the withdrawal of US$174 million in programmed development support, including an annual US$74 million funding gap in the health sector.
He said the funding shortfall exposed vulnerabilities in areas such as medical research, HIV testing and programmes supported by PEPFAR, highlighting the risks of relying heavily on external support for critical health services.
The President said the experience had strengthened the case for African health sovereignty, with African countries developing the capacity to produce essential medicines and vaccines locally instead of depending on external supply chains.
On relations between ECOWAS and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), President Mahama called for continued dialogue and efforts to rebuild cooperation, stressing that combating terrorism requires regional and international collaboration.
He said Ghana was also strengthening surveillance and intelligence-sharing with neighbouring countries to improve border security and respond to emerging threats.
Looking ahead to Ghana’s 2027 chairmanship of the African Union, President Mahama said the country intends to use the opportunity to advance regional integration, facilitate the movement of goods across the continent and support wider African efforts to promote peace and security.
