President John Dramani Mahama has called for stronger institutions, domestic financing and national capacity to help Global South countries navigate debt pressures and global disruptions.

Speaking at a Presidential Roundtable organised by the Open Society Foundation in New York on September 21, 2026, Mr Mahama said countries must strengthen their ability to create jobs, improve public services, build infrastructure and expand opportunities, particularly for young people.

He linked development sovereignty to a country’s capacity to act independently and sustain its priorities despite changes in the international environment. “When I speak about sovereignty in this context, I am speaking about the capacity to act.”

The President called for stronger coordination across government, increased domestic resource mobilisation, sound financial management and institutions capable of delivering measurable results.

He also urged international partners and philanthropic organisations to move beyond short-term programmes towards long-term capability building, with successful interventions eventually integrated into public systems, local delivery institutions and sustainable financing models.

“Where an approach proves successful, the next step should be its adoption into public systems, local delivery institutions, and long-term financing models,” he said.

The roundtable brought together presidents and chief executives of major global foundations, including representatives from the Gates, Ford, Open Society, Hewlett Packard, Hilton, Rockefeller, Humanity United, Anglo American, Chandler and UBS Optimus foundations.

Mr Mahama acknowledged that Ghana still had work to do to strengthen ownership of its development trajectory, including improving programme preparation, mobilising domestic resources and building institutions that can demonstrate clear results. He also called for greater use of expertise from civil society, business, academia and local communities.

The engagement formed part of the President’s activities on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, where he is also leading discussions on the Accra Reset and other development priorities.