President Mahama to lead African Health Sovereignty Summit in Accra

President John Dramani Mahama is set to host a high-level African health sovereignty summit in Accra on Tuesday, August 5, 2025.

The summit, which will bring together African heads of state, policymakers, and global health stakeholders, is expected to mark a turning point in the continent’s efforts to reshape global health governance and strengthen national ownership of health systems.

In a statement issued by the Presidency on Sunday, August 3, 2025, it explained that the summit will deliver four key outcomes, the formation of a presidential high-level panel to design a roadmap for global health reform; a renewed commitment to core principles such as inclusivity, accountability, resilience, and leadership; the launch of the SUSTAIN initiative to support investment-driven health systems led by African countries; and the formal endorsement of the Accra Compact.

“These efforts build on the leadership of President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and African Union institutions to advance health financing and coordination on the continent,” the statement noted.

While acknowledging the gains made in global health, such as halving child mortality since 1990 and reducing maternal deaths by over 40% since 2000, the Presidency stressed that the current global health architecture is outdated and increasingly misaligned with emerging challenges.

“Reform is now crucial; it is urgent both nationally and internationally. Countries must take greater responsibility for their health governance and funding,” the statement added.

The summit, themed, “The Accra Initiative: African Health Sovereignty in a Reimagined Global Health Governance Architecture,” aims to promote reform in global health systems that better reflect Africa’s demographic and political realities.

It will also build on President Mahama’s leadership during the 2014 Ebola outbreak and his recent address at the Global Summit on Health and Prosperity in Brussels in June 2025.

“President Mahama directed regional efforts to control the Ebola epidemic, showcasing Africa’s capacity to respond to crises with unity and determination. That same spirit of continental and global solidarity now underpins the Accra Compact,” the statement added.

Read the full statement below:

JKB/EB

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