The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has appealed to global powers to bring an end to ongoing conflicts, particularly in parts of the Middle East, urging world leaders to listen to the silent suffering of innocent civilians caught in war zones.

He made the call at the World-Meets-in-Ghana Executive Gala held at the Manhyia Palace on Friday, April 24, 2026, where he was honoured as a Pillar of Peace.

Addressing dignitaries, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II urged those “who carry the destiny of the world on their fingertips” to pay attention to millions of people who have become collateral victims of conflicts they neither understand nor control.

He noted that while images of war dominate global media, they capture only a fraction of the suffering experienced by vulnerable populations.

“We convey to the powers who carry the destiny of the world on their fingertips to hear the cries of the millions who are the collateral victims of wars about which they have not the faintest idea,” he said.

“There is no single Ghanaian in a city, town or village, and no African anywhere who is not being impacted by the raging wars.”

The Asantehene stressed that the true scale of devastation remains largely unmeasured, with billions enduring hardship in silence.

“Indeed, I submit that the heart-rending suffering we are seeing on the airwaves is only a tip of the iceberg. The true collateral damage to the innocent villages of the globe is yet to be measured,” he added.

Calling for urgent global action, Otumfuo appealed to leaders across major conflict zones, including Kyiv, Tehran, Tel Aviv, and Beirut, to prioritise dialogue and reconciliation over violence.

“The innocent billions of the world who are the collateral victims are crying in silence and their cries of anguish, and the tears of despair can no more be ignored,” he said.

Widely recognised for his mediation and peace-building efforts, the Asantehene reiterated the need for collective action to safeguard lives and restore global stability.