President John Dramani Mahama has launched a bold new initiative aimed at reshaping political cooperation, youth participation, and governance across Africa.
The African Political Parties Initiative (APPI) was officially unveiled on Friday, March 7, 2025, at a high-level event hosted by the Africa Governance Centre.
The initiative seeks to foster inter-party collaboration, strengthen democratic institutions, and champion policies that prioritize development over partisanship which also aims to reverse troubling trends across the continent, including political polarization, the marginalization of youth, and the increasing commercialization of politics.
In a powerful address at the launch, President Mahama criticized the deepening divide between political leadership and national development priorities, urging African political parties to move beyond election victories and focus instead on delivering meaningful change.
“We must make a fundamental choice. Do we want to be remembered as leaders who served our people, or as politicians who merely served our parties?” he challenged.
Mr. Mahama warned that political parties are becoming too preoccupied with winning power at the expense of national unity and development, which he said contributes to policy stagnation and economic hardship in many African nations.
A major focus of the APPI is youth inclusion. With over 60% of Africa’s population under the age of 25, Mahama emphasized that any effort to shape the continent’s future must center on young people. He cautioned that sidelining the youth from decision-making risks alienating an entire generation and threatening democratic stability.
Drawing on his administration’s example, the President noted that Ghana’s current government includes one of the youngest teams in the country’s history.
“We have probably assembled the youngest government Ghana has ever had. I call on these young leaders to rise to the occasion, serve with integrity, and prove that the youth deserve a seat at the table.”
President Mahama also raised alarms over the growing influence of money in African politics, condemning the dominance of wealthy elites in political financing, which he said undermines the independence of political parties and shifts governance away from the public good.
“When parties rely on a few powerful financiers, decision-making is no longer driven by the people’s needs. This fuels corruption and limits leaders’ ability to serve the broader society.”
He called for comprehensive reforms in political financing to restore transparency, equity, and accountability in governance, noting
The African Political Parties Initiative comes at a time when democratic values across the continent are being tested by political instability, coup d’états, election disputes, and disenchantment among young populations.
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