President John Mahama urged African nations to coordinate their mineral processing efforts as Ghana prepares to take the African Union chairmanship in 2027. Speaking on Monday at the Mining in Motion Conference 2026 in Accra, he said Ghana’s domestic mineral processing would be more effective if it matched similar efforts by neighbouring countries.
Mahama cited Agenda 2063, the African Mining Vision, and the African Continental Free Trade Area as frameworks that provide a foundation for regional cooperation. “We must translate these frameworks into coordinated investments, regional infrastructure and larger markets for African producers,” he said. The conference’s theme was “One Continent, One Voice of Minerals – Aligning Africa’s Mineral Future.”
As chair in 2027, Ghana intends to bring the spirit of the Accra Research into collective efforts across the continent. Mahama referred to the African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC), which was created to oversee the implementation of the Africa Mining Vision. He said the AMDC had an important role in building countries’ capacity to develop mineral processing arrangements.
Mahama called on African Union member states that had not yet ratified the AMDC statutes to do so and deposit their instruments of ratification with the AU as soon as possible. He added that the AMDC needed dependable funding, technical expertise, and clear expectations for delivery. “It can help our countries share geological knowledge, strengthen negotiating capacity, and develop regional value chains,” he said.
The president also criticised past mineral concessions awarded to foreign interests. He said poor negotiations had left African countries with only a small share of the wealth extracted from their natural resources. This situation has led to massive financial outflows from the continent while local communities continue to face poverty and hardship.
“This legacy of the colonial era accounted for much of the poverty and suffering experienced across the continent,” Mahama said.
The Mining in Motion Conference 2026 gathered industry leaders, policymakers, and experts to discuss how African countries can increase value addition in the mineral sector. Ghana’s push for regional cooperation comes amid growing calls for African nations to capture more of the benefits from their mineral wealth.
Ghana’s chairmanship of the African Union in 2027 will place the country at the centre of continental policy discussions on mining and economic integration. Mahama’s remarks suggest a focus on collective action and institutional support to shift the balance of mineral wealth towards African producers and communities.
According to Joy Online.
