President John Dramani Mahama has warned that the global multilateral governance system established after the Second World War is breaking down, urging Africa to take a proactive role in shaping the emerging global order.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Switzerland, President Mahama reflected on Ghana’s upcoming 70th independence anniversary and the country’s journey through seven decades of political, social, and economic change.

However, he warned that the world is now at a turning point.

“Our world as we know it is at an inflection point. The global, multilateral governance system, universally agreed and accepted after the Second World War, is breaking down. Bilateral relations are increasingly transactional, and many states and non-state actors act in pursuit of narrow national interests,” he warned.

He highlighted Africa’s historical challenges, noting that the continent has often relied on humanitarian assistance and has been caught in cycles of conflict and multidimensional poverty.

With global aid shrinking and developed nations prioritising defense spending amid shifting alliances, President Mahama said Africa must become self-reliant.

“While the contours of the new global system are yet to be defined, Africa intends to be at the table in shaping it. We must pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps,” he said, citing lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, when Africa was among the last regions to receive vaccines.

He also thanked participants for attending the Accra Reset Initiative convened on the sidelines of the WEF, describing it as a key platform for African leaders and global partners to strategise on the continent’s role in the emerging global order.