Mahama Rallies African Leaders
Sep 23, 2025
'Health is the Foundation of Sovereignty’ – Mahama Rallies African Leaders
September 23, 2025
President John Dramani Mahama has urged African leaders to prioritize health security as a cornerstone of development, describing it as the “foundation of sovereignty.”
He made the call on Monday at a high-level meeting of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), held ahead of the opening of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
The meeting, themed “Securing Africa’s Health Sovereignty: Political Leadership for Sustainable Health Financing, Local Manufacturing, and Pandemic Preparedness”, brought together heads of state and government to chart a new course for Africa’s health systems in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his address, President Mahama emphasized the need for Africa to take ownership of its health financing and preparedness strategies.
“Health is not a cost. It is the engine of productivity and the foundation of sovereignty,” he said.
Mahama is expected to expand on this vision at a side event on Tuesday evening titled “The Accra Reset: Reimagining Global Governance for Health and Development.” The session, scheduled for 8:00 p.m. GMT, will convene policymakers and global partners to discuss innovative frameworks for health governance and development cooperation.
His intervention comes at a critical time, as African nations push for greater self-reliance in healthcare financing, local vaccine production, and pandemic preparedness, aiming to ensure the continent is better shielded from future global health crises.
