Accra Hosts Historic Summit to Redefine Global Health Governance Under Mahama’s Leadership

In a decisive moment for Africa’s health future, Accra today plays host to the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit, a high-level gathering of African Heads of State, global health leaders, and development partners convened by His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana.

Held under the theme “The Accra Initiative: African Health Sovereignty in A Reimagined Global Health Governance Architecture”, the summit signals Africa’s renewed commitment to taking charge of its health destiny amid global shifts in power, funding, and public health priorities.

A New Era of Health Sovereignty

With mounting challenges threatening the gains made in global health—such as shrinking donor support, weakened multilateralism, and emerging diseases—the summit comes at a critical juncture. It aims to galvanize a continent-wide movement rooted in national leadership, investment, and ownership of health systems.

“Africa must take charge of its health destiny—not in isolation, but through determined, coordinated action,” President Mahama declared ahead of the event. “This Summit is our moment to lead not only in financing our systems but also in reshaping the rules that govern global health—rules that must reflect the voices and realities of our people.”

President Mahama’s call echoes his historic role during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, when he led regional coordination to curb the epidemic. Today, he once again emerges as a continental voice, championing African-led reform in global health.

Summit Deliverables: The Accra Initiative and Compact

Key outcomes from the Summit include the formal adoption of The Accra Initiative—a transformative, action-oriented roadmap for global health governance reform aligned with African national priorities. Core features include:

• Establishment of a Presidential High-Level Panel to draft a framework for reimagined global health governance.
• Endorsement of the Accra Compact, a unified African declaration on health sovereignty and equity in global health systems.
• Launch of the SUSTAIN Initiative, aimed at building resilient, country-led health systems through domestic financing, private sector partnerships, philanthropy, and technical support.
• Commitment to six core principles: inclusivity, leadership, accountability, resilience, sustainable financing, and cross-sector collaboration.

Building on Pan-African Leadership

The Summit aligns with ongoing efforts by leaders such as President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and institutions within the African Union to bolster continental health coordination and sustainable financing. But it also issues a clear call for urgent reform of the global health architecture—an overhaul that places African leadership and lived realities at its core.

Global Inspiration, African Leadership

The Summit was inspired in part by President Mahama’s powerful address at the Global Summit on Health and Prosperity in Brussels this past June, where he urged world leaders to rethink global health governance in light of Africa’s experiences, strengths, and aspirations.

Today’s meeting in Accra is more than a dialogue—it’s a declaration of intent from a continent ready to lead. With concrete policy directions, bold political leadership, and a shared vision of health equity, the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit marks a turning point in the global health narrative.