Ghana’s President John Mahama has advocated an end to Africa’s dependence on foreign aid, stressing the need for mutually beneficial partnerships between the continent and global partners.

Mr Mahama, during a high-level roundtable at the 3rd Russia–Africa Summit in Moscow on Thursday, said African leadership’s primary objective is to eliminate structural and administrative bottlenecks that prevent goodwill from evolving into robust, sustainable commercial ties.

He urged global partners to embrace investment models that deliver equitable, long-term returns for all parties.

“Africa is a continent of the future. Immense opportunities abound for mutual investment between African and Russian enterprises—particularly in agriculture, agro-processing, healthcare, energy security, and digital services,” Mr Mahama declared.

The president, who addressed existing trade imbalances, advocated enhanced and direct market access for African goods into Russia.

He proposed the deployment of modernised trade settlement mechanisms, specifically highlighting the use of local currencies and integrated digital payment architectures to facilitate smooth bilateral transactions.

“Better market information, predictable quality standards, resilient logistics, and closer cooperation between our respective private sectors can make trade far more balanced, reliable, and mutually rewarding,” he added.

Mr Mahama, who assumes the chairmanship of the African Union (AU) next year, also acknowledged Russia’s historical solidarity with the continent, noting that the long-standing political goodwill must now serve as a bridge toward shared technological and economic advancement.

The president noted, “You stood by Africa during the struggle against colonialism and extended critical support to our newly independent nations. Today, we are prepared to leverage Russia’s expertise in technology-driven initiatives to accelerate modern industrialisation, growth, and prosperity across our continent.”

According to Mr Mahama, his participation in the summit reflects Ghana’s broader diplomatic and economic strategy to diversify international trade relationships, attract strategic investments, and advance the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agenda.

He stressed that the value of the longstanding relationship between Africa and Russia should be measured by the progress it delivers to communities and the improvements people experience in their daily lives.

“The most lasting expression of our friendship will be the progress our people can see in their communities and their lives,” he added.