President John Dramani Mahama has called on African countries to take greater control of their mineral resources to prevent exploitation and address the economic factors driving conflicts across the continent.
Speaking at the 12th Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa in Ethiopia, he said competition over Africa’s natural resources was contributing to insecurity, with local communities often failing to benefit from the wealth extracted from their lands.
President Mahama identified resource sovereignty as a key requirement for achieving lasting peace, arguing that African countries must have the power to manage their strategic resources, negotiate fair agreements and ensure that mineral wealth improves the lives of their citizens.
“The world cannot transition to green energy, nor can the digital economy run without Africa’s critical minerals. That ought to make us power brokers. Instead, it has made our communities targets,” he said.
He cited the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where the resurgence of the M23 rebel group is linked to wider competition over minerals, including coltan and cobalt.
He also pointed to Sudan, where fighting has been concentrated around areas of gold extraction, and Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado region, where local communities have struggled to benefit from the country’s gas wealth.
President Mahama said conflicts over natural resources would persist if African communities remained impoverished while others benefited from the extraction of their resources.
“Real sovereignty means having the administrative, legal, and economic power to govern your strategic assets, negotiate fair terms, and ensure that the wealth beneath our people’s feet actually puts food on their tables,” he said.
He warned that foreign powers seeking access to Africa’s resources were increasing their influence on the continent and urged African leaders to take responsibility for determining Africa’s future.
“Africa is not an empty chessboard for foreign powers to play their games,” he said.
President Mahama called for stronger African institutions, greater regional cooperation and domestic value addition to ensure that the continent’s natural resources contribute to economic development and sustainable peace.
He made the remarks while presenting the 2026 State of Peace and Security in Africa report at the forum, which examined developments between January 2025 and June 2026.
