Luanda: President John Dramani Mahama has welcomed and endorsed the Luanda Action Plan, its implementation matrix, and accompanying decision, as well as the African Union Trigger Model. The Luanda Action Plan is a strategic framework considered and adopted at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the African Union Assembly on August 30, in Luanda, Angola. It prioritizes early warning systems and preventative diplomacy over reactive measures.
According to Ghana News Agency, President Mahama, addressing the AU Extraordinary Summit in Luanda, emphasized Ghana's commitment to sustainable, predictable, and African-owned financing of the peace and security agenda. He highlighted the necessity for early warning systems to lead to early action, which requires resources that are timely and predictable. President Mahama stressed that African ownership of peace and security must align with African ownership of its financing. He called for a financing architecture that is predictable, flexible, and sustainable enough to reduce reliance on external resources.
The President noted that the Accra Reset contains significant insights for self-financing, relevant not only to healthcare but also to peace and safety. He urged that the commitments stemming from the summit be supported by clear responsibilities, timelines, measurable indicators, and credible financing arrangements. President Mahama called for action beyond words in addressing these commitments.
President Mahama reiterated Ghana's firm commitment to reinforcing an effective, well-resourced African peace and security architecture anchored in African ownership. He recalled the landmark UN General Assembly Resolution ARES8250, passed on March 25, declaring the enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity. This resolution was achieved through the efforts of the African Union, CARICOM, and the African Diaspora, with a record 123 member states endorsing it.
Following the resolution, Ghana, as the AU champion for reparations, hosted the Next Steps Conference in June in Accra. The conference decided to include indentured labor as a historical injustice against humanity and established a high-level advisory council on reparatory justice, a global experts panel on cultural heritage restitution, and a global legal panel on reparatory justice. Since then, the topic of reparations has gained significant attention globally, with countries beginning to address the issue and return looted artifacts.
President Mahama noted recent developments, including France's repeal of the Code Noir and apologies from Pope Leo XIV and the Archbishop of Canterbury for their institutions' roles in the slave trade. He announced a £100 million reparatory justice fund by the Archbishop and highlighted that updates from the high-level panel and the committee of experts established in Accra would be shared as a side event at the 81st UNGA session in September. He invited his colleagues to attend this event.