Dubai — Text of remarks by H.E. John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, at the launch of the Global Africa Investment Summit in Dubai on February 3, 2026.
Thank you very much, my brother, Akin, and thanks for this invite.
I am delighted to join you this evening at the launch of the Global Africa Investment Summit, an idea whose time has truly come.
Let me begin by warmly commending Dr Adesina and Madame Marguerite Krauss for their vision and leadership in establishing this strategic platform.
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The Global Africa Investment Summit has the potential to fundamentally change how global capital engages with Africa, at scale, with purpose, and for mutual prosperity.
I know this is the outcome of several meetings and discussions we held with Akin, who flew into Ghana several times, and of us plotting his post-retirement activities. And I am happy that, soon enough, after retiring, he's come up with this brilliant platform to help Africa.
I've known Dr Adesina for a long time. He's a friend, a brother. His decades of leadership at the African Development Bank Group were marked by transformative achievements that impacted the lives of more than 565 million people across the African continent.
When he concluded his tenure in September 2025, it was clear that his commitment to Africa's progress would not end with his departure from the bank. It is therefore no surprise that today, Africa's, and I call him, the optimist-in-chief.
Africa's optimist-in-chief is once again leading a bold initiative, this time on a truly global investment stage. The theme of this summit, mobilising global capital for Africa's next growth chapter, captures the moment with remarkable clarity. The global landscape is shifting rapidly.
Geopolitical fragmentation, the reordering of supply chains, the declining role of traditional aid, and intense competition for capital and resources demand a new approach. Africa cannot afford to be a passive participant in this new global era. We must shape how the world engages with us, and most importantly, on our terms.
This conviction inspired what we call the Accra Reset, a clarion call for a clear shift away from aid dependency towards economic sovereignty, self-determination, and investment-led growth. Moving from aid to investment is not merely desirable; it is essential. It is essential for sustainable development.
The launch of the Global Africa Investment Summit is therefore not symbolic. It is the action itself. Africa possesses vast sovereign assets.
The challenge before us is to convert these assets into credible, investable portfolios with clear revenue themes, bankable structures, and long-term returns that support the prosperity of our people. Institutional investors are seeking stability. They are seeking scale and predictability.
Africa can offer all three if our assets are appropriately valued, structured, and properly governed. Ghana is a case in point. Our natural resources form the backbone of a robust investment proposition.
Gold is Ghana's single largest asset. We are Africa's largest producer and among the top 10 globally, with annual production exceeding 5 million ounces. With the right asset structuring frameworks, gold alone can generate several billion dollars annually to support Ghana's growth, Ghana's infrastructure, and our industrialisation.
Already with preliminary restructuring of our gold export sector, gold volumes from our small-scale mining sector alone, excluding large-scale, have increased from 63 tons in 2024 to 104 tons in 10 months, yielding revenues of $10 billion in 10 months.
Ghana is also the world's fourth largest producer of manganese, a strategic mineral for steel production and electric vehicle batteries. Our bauxite reserves position us to play a central role in global and lenient value chains.
We are determined not to remain exporters of raw materials, but to become participants in value addition and manufacturing. That is why Ghana has taken the bold decision to ban the export of raw mineral ore. We invite global investors to partner with us, not just in extraction, but in value creation.
These partnerships will generate jobs, transfer skills, expand foreign-exchange earnings, and strategically position Africa within the geopolitics of critical minerals, metals, and rare earths. Global capital does not chase isolated projects. It invests in platforms.
What the Global Africa Investment Summit offers is precisely that, well-structured, scalable investment platforms across minerals, energy, infrastructure, trade, and logistics. Africa already has the assets. What we are building now is the architecture that enables those assets to speak the language of global capital.
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This shift from aid and debt dependence to asset-driven growth will enable African economies to attract long-term capital without unsustainable increases in public debt. It will also anchor our development in ownership, productivity, and resilience.
As a champion of the African Union and of African financial institutions, I am encouraged that this summit will provide a transparent, collaborative space for engaging global investors.
Political leadership will offer stability and confidence, while professional asset restructuring will ensure fair returns for investors and tangible benefits for our people.
Through the Global Africa Investment Summit, Africa decisively moves from an aid-driven narrative to an investment-driven future, from dependency to ownership. Africa needs robust ecosystems for asset restructuring, risk mitigation, and deal-making.
This summit is a game-changer, unlocking the full value of Africa's sovereign assets. Ghana fully supports this initiative. And so, together, let us reset the narrative, mobilise global capital, and unlock Africa's vast potential for Africa and the world.
Thank you very much for your attention.
