President John Dramani Mahama has called for dialogue and respect for national sovereignty, stressing that entire civilisations should not be targeted in the pursuit of resolving international disputes.
Addressing world leaders at the 81st United Nations General Assembly, President Mahama said diplomacy remained necessary even when conflicts appeared difficult to resolve.
“No human civilisation deserves to be annihilated, certainly not a member state of the United Nations. I believe that dialogue can resolve even the most intractable of problems,” he said.
His comments came two days after U.S. President Donald Trump, in his own address to the UN General Assembly, warned that the United States could “annihilate the Islamic Republic” if diplomatic efforts to resolve tensions with Iran failed.
Although President Mahama did not mention President Trump by name, his use of the same term in rejecting the destruction of a civilisation appeared to contrast with the language used by the U.S. leader.
The Ghanaian President subsequently urged the international community to uphold national sovereignty, protect civilians and ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches affected populations without obstruction.
Beyond the immediate conflicts confronting the international community, President Mahama used his address to renew calls for reforms to the global system of governance and finance.
He advocated permanent African representation on the UN Security Council, describing greater African participation in global decision-making as part of broader reforms to the international system.
He also called for reparatory justice in relation to the transatlantic slave trade, increased climate financing for developing countries and greater African participation in the processing of critical minerals produced on the continent.
Mahama’s remarks underscored his call for diplomacy as the preferred path to resolving international disputes, particularly where conflicts threaten civilians and regional stability. He also pressed for reforms to the international system to address longstanding inequalities and give African countries a greater voice in global affairs.
