Leaders from across the continent have gathered in Accra for the opening of the African Summit 2025, issuing a strong call for Africans to deliberately shape their own future.

Discussions at the summit focused on youth empowerment, strategic partnerships, and opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as key drivers of Africa’s next phase of growth.

Held under the theme “Building a New United Africa,” the inaugural summit has brought together political leaders, policymakers, and business executives to confront the continent’s development challenges and explore pathways for deeper integration.

Speaking on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa urged African states to take ownership of the continent’s future and fully harness the opportunities presented by the AfCFTA. He stressed that Africa must move from being a passive observer to an active shaper of global outcomes.

According to him, this transformation requires a united African voice, coordinated diplomacy, and collective economic action.

He noted that when fully implemented, the AfCFTA has the potential to pull millions of Africans out of poverty, create jobs for the continent’s youthful population, expand industrial capacity, and strengthen Africa’s bargaining power in the global economy.

However, he cautioned that the success of the free trade area will depend on the collective resolve of African countries to dismantle non-tariff barriers, harmonise regulatory regimes, invest in trade-related infrastructure, and support small and medium-sized enterprises to compete effectively across borders.

Organisers of the summit say the gathering is aimed at aligning Africa’s economic and political vision while mobilising coordinated, African-led action at a critical moment, as global power dynamics shift and interest in Africa’s strategic resources continues to grow.