The Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, has issued a passionate appeal to global leaders to urgently move toward ending ongoing conflicts in parts of the Middle East and other war-affected regions, warning that millions of innocent civilians continue to suffer as “collateral victims” of decisions beyond their control.
Speaking at the World-Meets-in-Ghana Executive Gala held at the Manhyia Palace on Friday, April 24, 2026, where he was honoured as a Pillar of Peace, the Asantehene called for greater global responsibility and compassion in handling international conflicts.
He urged world leaders to pay closer attention to the human cost of war, stressing that ordinary people across the world—including Africans and Ghanaians—are being affected by crises they neither started nor fully understand.
According to him, while global media coverage captures only fragments of the devastation, the real scale of human suffering is far greater and often goes undocumented.
“The innocent billions of the world who are the collateral victims are crying in silence and their cries of anguish, and the tears of despair can no more be ignored,” he said.
Otumfuo further emphasised that the impact of global conflicts extends beyond the immediate war zones, affecting vulnerable populations across continents through economic shocks, displacement, and social instability.
Calling for restraint and dialogue, he specifically urged leaders in conflict-prone cities such as Kyiv, Tehran, Tel Aviv, and Beirut to prioritise peacebuilding and reconciliation over prolonged hostilities.
“We convey to the powers who carry the destiny of the world on their fingertips to hear the cries of the millions who are the collateral victims of wars about which they have not the faintest idea. There is no single Ghanaian in a city, town or village, and no African anywhere who is not being impacted by the raging wars,” he stated.
He added that the visible destruction reported in global media represents only a fraction of the true humanitarian cost, noting that the deeper and long-term suffering of affected communities remains largely unmeasured.
“Indeed, I submit that the heart-rending suffering we are seeing on the airwaves is only a tip of the iceberg. The true collateral damage to the innocent villages of the globe is yet to be measured,” he added.
The Asantehene, widely regarded for his mediation and peace advocacy efforts, reiterated his call for urgent global cooperation to protect civilians and restore stability in regions affected by conflict.
