Lord Mawuko‑Yevugah has urged African leaders to transform African Union Day from a symbolic celebration into a platform for accountability, policy implementation and meaningful action.
Speaking at the 6th Fireside Dialogue organised by the Africa Future Leaders Institute of Global Affairs in Accra, the International Relations expert said Africa’s future depends on deliberate leadership and consistent execution rather than declarations and ceremonies.
“African Union Day should be more than commemoration; it must be a moment of honest reckoning and action,” he stated.
The dialogue, held to mark AU Day under the theme “Africa’s Role and Agency in Global Affairs: Past, Present and Future – Prospects and Challenges,” brought together policymakers, diplomats, academics and civil society actors to discuss Africa’s place in the changing global order.
Prof Mawuko-Yevugah stressed that Africa’s influence in global affairs would only grow if leaders translated continental aspirations into measurable outcomes.
“Having agency is not a possession, it is a practice. It is exercised or it is forfeited,” he said.
He cited the African Continental Free Trade Area as an example of a promising continental initiative whose implementation continues to face major challenges despite its transformational potential.
According to him, Africa must also reduce dependence on foreign funding by strengthening internal financing mechanisms within the African Union.
The professor warned that reliance on external donors limits Africa’s ability to independently pursue strategic development priorities.
He further highlighted governance weaknesses and Africa’s growing debt burden as major obstacles to development, noting that huge financial resources are increasingly diverted from sectors such as education and healthcare toward debt servicing.
Prof Mawuko-Yevugah also called for stronger youth inclusion in governance and decision-making processes across the continent.
The African Union is marking its 63rd anniversary on May 25, 2026, under the theme “Sixty-Three Years of Unity, Integration and Development.”
In his commemorative message, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf emphasised the importance of youth empowerment, trade integration and innovation in driving Africa’s development agenda.
