Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has called on African leaders to base electoral contests on policies rather than ballots.

Opening the African Political Parties Summit 2025 in Accra, she urged political parties across the continent to prioritise the needs of their citizens while in power.

“Policies, when divorced from the pursuit of wellbeing, become empty,” she said.

“Our people do not ask us to perform politics for its own sake. They deserve politics that translates into food security, decent jobs, functional schools, accessible healthcare, efficient infrastructure, security, and justice. They expect us to focus not just on the next election, but more importantly, on the next generation.”

Reiterating the need to rise above narrow interests, the Vice President stressed the importance of working together, even as strong opponents, and fostering cooperation and tolerance among political parties for peace, development, and progress.

“Let’s adopt a long view… for the sake of policies and projects, and they must outlast our own political careers,” she said.

Addressing the lack of continuity that hampers Africa’s development, she urged leaders to craft national development plans that would be respected by successive governments.

While acknowledging that leaders may not agree on everything, she said it was vital to “agree on the fundamentals” and work toward “an Africa united in vision to defy the odds,” citing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a success story.

She further challenged both ruling and opposition parties to ensure stability during elections, warning that instability endangers livelihoods.

The Vice President expressed optimism that the adoption of the African Political Parties Initiative (APPI) implementation framework at the summit would “help foster political cooperation across borders to address regional threats, deal with illicit trade, and respond to pandemics.”

The APPI framework, yet to be officially adopted, aims to create a platform for dialogue, build institutional capacity, sustain cooperation, resolve disputes, share ideas, and collaborate on shared priorities.

The three-day summit has brought together African Heads of State under the theme “From Politics to Prosperity.”