MAHAMA CALLS FOR RENEWED PAN-AFRICAN SOLIDARITY, FREE MOVEMENT AND SUPPORT FOR HURRICANE-HIT CARIBBEAN AT 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF 5TH PAN-AFRICAN CONGRESS
Story by Eugene Nyarko Jnr. l Accra l November 18, 2025
President John Dramani Mahama has rallied African nations to deepen unity, strengthen continental cooperation, and extend urgent humanitarian support to the Caribbean as he officially opened the 80th Anniversary Conference of the historic 5th Pan-African Congress on Tuesday at the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum in Accra.
Delivering the keynote address at the international gathering organised by the Pan-African Progressive Front, President Mahama revealed that Ghana had already dispatched emergency relief items—including food supplies, medication, mattresses, blankets and plastic containers—to assist affected populations in Jamaica and Cuba following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.
He said a call from Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley and a subsequent briefing from Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness made clear the scale of the disaster and the urgent need for shelter for thousands displaced.
“In the spirit of Pan-African solidarity, we must come to their aid,” President Mahama said. “The destruction in Jamaica is beyond their capacity alone to repair. I appeal to all African states to contribute whatever they can—blankets, tarpaulins, and materials for temporary shelters—because when we all give, the symbolic impact becomes a significant difference.”
He disclosed that Ghana would deploy members of the 48 Engineers Regiment, including carpenters, masons and technical experts, to support the construction of makeshift shelters in affected communities.
Reaffirming the Pan-African Vision
President Mahama situated the humanitarian call within the broader context of Pan-Africanism, recalling the pivotal 1945 Manchester Congress that accelerated Africa’s liberation from colonial rule and shaped the continent’s quest for self-determination.
“Eighty years on, the struggle has changed but is far from over,” he declared. “Today, the fight is for economic transformation, technological sovereignty, climate justice, and a fairer global financial order.”
He lamented the continent’s paradox of immense natural wealth but limited global influence, emphasizing that Africa must now unite to confront economic exclusion, youth unemployment, and uneven development.
Advancing Integration and Free Movement
Reiterating Ghana’s commitment to Pan-African integration, President Mahama announced a new initiative under discussion with former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and other African leaders—an initial group of seven countries that would abolish visa requirements among themselves as a first step toward full continental free movement.
“We want to begin a League of African Free Movement,” he said. “Citizens of these seven countries will travel freely without visas. As others join, we will build toward an Africa where our people move freely without restriction.”
He stressed that deeper regional integration—including the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)—remains essential for Africa’s prosperity.
A Call to a New Generation
With over 60 percent of Africa’s population under 35, President Mahama noted that the next wave of Pan-African leadership would emerge from innovation hubs, technology labs and creative spaces rather than traditional liberation movements.
“Our duty is to equip this generation with digital skills, platforms to innovate, and the freedom to express African identity with pride,” he said.
He called on African leaders to govern transparently, uphold democratic values, and fight corruption, warning that a divided Africa remains vulnerable.
United for the Future
As he formally declared the conference open, President Mahama urged African governments, youth, workers, intellectuals and global partners to embrace a renewed Pan-African covenant.
“Africans will determine Africa’s destiny—not external forces, not global markets, but our own unity, creativity and courage,” he affirmed. “Let this anniversary ignite in us a renewed sense of purpose. The dream of Pan-Africanism must live on—and together, we shall make it real.”
The event brought together former Ghanaian President John Agyekum Kufuor, international delegates, scholars and activists committed to advancing the Pan-African vision envisioned eight decades ago.
