By MAKKINN NEWS | August 31, 2026
President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed Ghana's backing for the African Union's $1 billion Peace Fund target, calling for sustainable, predictable and African-owned financing of the continent's peace and security agenda.
Addressing the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Luanda, Angola, on Sunday, August 30, 2026, President Mahama formally endorsed the Luanda Action Plan and the African Union Trigger Model, signalling a firm push toward a sustainable regional security framework less dependent on external donors.
Welcoming Progress on the $1bn Target
"We welcome the progress made in operationalising the African Union Peace Fund and support its continued capitalisation towards the $1 billion target," President Mahama told the summit.
He called for accelerated implementation of the Peace Fund's resource mobilisation strategy, including effective application of the 0.2 percent import levy that underpins the Fund, while urging greater mobilisation of resources from African financial institutions, the private sector and other African sources.
The Peace Fund, which reached an earlier milestone of $400 million backed largely by member-state contributions, is intended to give the AU greater financial independence in preventing conflict, supporting mediation, and sustaining peace operations across the continent without relying primarily on foreign donors.
Early Warning Must Mean Early Action
President Mahama stressed that early warning systems must translate into early action, and that this required resources available in a timely and predictable manner. He described Ghana's position as attaching particular importance to sustainable, predictable and African-owned financing of the continent's peace and security agenda.
"Our task must ensure effective implementation, better coordination, and shared responsibility," he stated, calling for a financing architecture "predictable enough to plan, flexible enough to respond, and sustainable enough to reduce excessive dependence on external resources."
He also welcomed United Nations Security Council Resolution 2719 of 2023, which provides a framework for financing AU-led peace support operations through UN-assessed contributions, and urged continued efforts to operationalise that framework in line with African ownership, accountability and shared responsibility.
Reparations Also on the Agenda
Beyond peace and security financing, President Mahama briefed the Assembly on outcomes from the Next Steps Reparations Conference held in Accra, which established a high-level Advisory Council on Reparatory Justice and a global expert panel focused on the restitution of looted African cultural heritage.
He pointed to a growing global momentum on reparatory justice backed by the AU, CARICOM and the African Diaspora, noting that a number of countries have begun addressing the issue of reparations and returning looted artefacts. He expressed confidence that the upcoming 81st session of the UN General Assembly this September would yield further international support for Africa's reparatory justice agenda.
The Luanda summit was convened to consider and adopt a comprehensive decision, action plan and implementation matrix on conflict prevention and resolution, against the backdrop of persistent conflicts in parts of the continent. President Mahama described the gathering as both timely and necessary in confronting Africa's security challenges.
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