President John Dramani Mahama has told the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that the future of humanity will be shaped in Africa, calling on the global community to acknowledge the continent’s central role in driving transformation.
Speaking on Thursday, September 25, the Ghanaian leader cited demographic projections that firmly position Africa as the world’s next powerhouse.
“According to this organisation’s own projections, by the year 2050, more than 25% of the world’s population is expected to come from the African continent. Additionally, by 2050, one-third of all young people, aged 15 to 24, will be residing on the African continent,” he said.
With his trademark candour, Mahama declared:
“So, you see, the future is African. Allow me to say this once again, a little louder for the people in the back. The future is African!”
Mahama stressed that Africa’s youthful population is not just a statistic but a strategic global advantage, set to fuel innovation, economic growth, and social progress worldwide.
He argued that the continent’s rising demographic strength would make it the epicentre of human potential, with ripple effects across technology, education, health, and ecological reform.
The President also pushed back against global narratives that diminish Africa’s role in development, insisting that the continent is already a catalyst for systemic change.
“Already today, Africa is a catalyst for human potential and development, as well as for economic reform and ecological stability. Africa is a catalyst for systemic change,” Mahama noted.
Mahama did not shy away from addressing why some in the global arena may resist Africa’s rise. He argued that discomfort with this reality stems from centuries of racism, colonialism, and imperialism, which continue to shape perceptions of Africa.
“If this reality—which is fact-based and straightforward—seems provocative or unsettling, perhaps it’s because you’re viewing it through the lens of centuries of racism, colonialism, imperialism, and the resulting implicit bias,” he said.
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