President John Dramani Mahama has unveiled the Accra Reset, a bold new framework designed to transform global development financing and partnerships. The launch took place in New York as part of a high-level side event at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Mahama, who serves as the African Union Champion for African Financial Institutions, described the initiative as a response to what he called a “fraying” global development architecture, citing the COVID-19 pandemic, mounting debt burdens, and worsening climate shocks that threaten more than 700 million people with hunger.
“The world is only five years from 2030,” he said. “The question is not simply what new targets should replace the SDGs, but how we design institutions and financing systems that actually work. Workability is the name of the game now—innovative financing instruments, new business models, and smarter coalitions that multiply resources rather than ration them.”
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A New Development Model
The Accra Reset is anchored in three principles: sovereignty, workability, and shared value. The health sector will serve as the entry point, with a focus on shifting from aid dependency to health sovereignty, building on outcomes from the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit held in Accra in August 2025.
To put the framework into action, a coalition known as the Club of Accra will pilot innovative financing tools and create “geostrategic dealrooms” to drive investment in health, climate, food security, and job creation.
Global Leadership and Accountability
A key announcement at the launch was the establishment of a Global Presidential Council, bringing together leaders from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and other regions to provide political leadership and ensure accountability. A Global College of Advisors—comprising experts in health, finance, innovation, and business—will also guide pilot projects and design new financing models.
Broad-Based Endorsements
The Accra Reset drew support from prominent political, institutional, and private sector leaders:
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Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria and co-convenor of the initiative, called for a new era of solidarity and independence from aid dependency.
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Gordon Brown, former UK Prime Minister, praised the Reset as “a plan for the future,” highlighting the need for health sovereignty.
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A message delivered on behalf of Kenyan President William Ruto stressed financing that aligns with national ambitions and urged accountability for universal health coverage.
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Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados pledged to align skills and industrial policies to support pharmaceutical manufacturing in the Global South.
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Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Chairman of Access Bank, committed the private sector to financing and leadership.
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Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the World Health Organization and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of the World Trade Organization both endorsed the initiative, urging the global community to “rewire” outdated norms.
A Blueprint for Urgency
With less than half of the 169 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets on track and the 2030 deadline fast approaching, the Accra Reset is being positioned as a blueprint for realigning global development with present-day realities.
Story By: Afia Ohenewaa Akyerem