Keypoints:
- Sam Jonah issues warning to AU leaders
- Calls for faster AfCFTA implementation
- Africa urged to act with strategic unity
Open Letter to the Heads of State of the African Union
Esteemed Presidents, Prime Ministers, and Leaders of Africa’s Sovereign Nations,
I WRITE to you today not as a distant observer, but as a fellow African—rooted in the soil of our continent, born in Ghana—from a place of profound urgency and unyielding hope. The recent words of the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, delivered at the Munich Security Conference, have reverberated across the globe like a thunderclap. In his address, he lamented the ‘terminal decline’ of Western empires, attributing it to ‘godless communist revolutions and anti-colonial uprisings’ that dismantled colonial rule after World War II. He spoke of revitalising ‘the greatest civilisation in human history,’ urging Europe to shed ‘guilt and shame’ over its colonial past and join America in reclaiming a dominant ‘place in the world.’ Critics have rightly interpreted this as a veiled call for a return to imperial dominance, a nostalgia for the era when our lands were carved up and our peoples subjugated. Make no mistake: these are not idle musings. They are a stark reminder that in the eyes of some global powers, Africa’s independence is a historical inconvenience, and our resources remain ripe for extraction.
‘Africa’s independence is a historical inconvenience, and our resources remain ripe for extraction’
A wake-up call For Africa
This is our wake-up call. As the Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney warned in the context of shifting global power dynamics, ‘If we are not at the table, we are on the menu.’ For too long, Africa has been the feast for others—our minerals fuelling foreign industries, our markets flooded with imports that stifle local growth, and our development tethered to the ‘generosity’ of donors whose aid often comes laced with conditions that serve their agendas, not ours.
‘If we are not at the table, we are on the menu.’
Rubio’s speech underscores a harsh truth: the end of formal colonialism did not end the exploitation. Neocolonialism persists through economic dependencies, debt traps, and geopolitical manoeuvring. We must heed this moment to unite, look inward, and pursue our continent’s agenda with unashamed selfishness.
A continent surrounded by interlinked crises
Consider the threats encircling our continent as we enter 2026. Armed conflicts rage across vast regions—from the protracted insurgencies in the Sahel, where jihadist groups are expanding their reach, to the devastating wars in Sudan, the Horn of Africa, and the Great Lakes, displacing millions and claiming thousands of lives annually. These conflicts are exacerbated by state fragmentation, governance failures, and external interferences that fuel division for profit. Economic distress looms large: debt burdens threaten major economies, with servicing costs siphoning resources away from essential services. Climate shocks—devastating floods, droughts, and extreme weather—act as risk multipliers, hitting our agriculture-dependent nations hardest and projected to intensify this year. Democratic erosion, youth-led protests against entrenched autocrats, and the spillover of instability from one nation to another further erode our agency. Geopolitical shifts, including new US tariffs and reductions in international aid, add to the uncertainty, forcing us to navigate a fractured global order where multilateral institutions falter. These are not isolated issues; they are interconnected webs that demand a united response. Divided, we are vulnerable. United, we become formidable.
AfCFTA: The foundation of sovereignty
Our path forward lies in accelerating economic integration, the cornerstone of true sovereignty. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), launched in 2018 and operational since 2021, represents a monumental step toward this vision. As of 2025, 49 of 54 signatory states have ratified it, with guided trade underway and projections showing intra-African trade could grow from $85 billion in 2023 to $101 billion by year’s end if implementation quickens. Market integration has advanced through tariff reductions and one-stop border posts, boosting our score on the African Regional Integration Index to 0.590. Yet, progress is uneven. Intra-African trade hovers at a mere 15–16 percent of total exports, far below Europe’s 60 percent or Asia’s levels. Challenges abound: incomplete harmonization of policies, infrastructure deficits, and the slow ratification of complementary protocols, such as the Free Movement of Persons, which is essential for trade in services and labor mobility. Without free movement, AfCFTA risks remaining a blueprint rather than a bustling marketplace. Estimates suggest that full implementation could increase intra-African trade by 15–25 percent by 2040, adding $50–70 billion in value, diversifying exports, and attracting foreign direct investment. But we have seen too many missteps—decades of talk under the Lagos Plan of Action and Abuja Treaty, with Regional Economic Communities (RECs) like SADC and COMESA showing low integration scores due to stalled progress. The time for rhetoric is over; concrete actions must follow.
A five-point agenda for African leaders
I urge you, our leaders, to act with the urgency these threats demand. Prioritise the following:
Accelerate AfCFTA implementation: Fast-track the remaining negotiations on rules of origin, services, and investment. Invest in digital trade platforms and cross-border infrastructure to reduce trade costs and boost manufactured goods exports by over 50 percent in the coming decade.
Ratify and enforce free movement: Break the logjam on the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons. Without it, we cannot fully harness our human capital—our entrepreneurs, skilled workers, and innovators—who drive economic growth.
Build internal resilience: Shift from donor dependency to self-financed development. Reform fiscal policies to manage debt, invest in sustainable agriculture aligned with the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), and leverage our vast resources for value addition rather than raw export. Address security through pan-African cooperation, strengthening the African Union’s Peace and Security Architecture to tackle insurgencies and conflicts holistically.
Empower our youth and institutions: Confront governance crises head-on. Engage the rising tide of Gen Z protests not as threats, but as calls for accountability. Strengthen institutions to combat corruption, inequality, and democratic backsliding, ensuring our youth see a future on this continent.
Forge a unified foreign policy: In a world of escalating geopolitical risks, speak with one voice. Reject neocolonial overtures and negotiate partnerships on our terms, prioritising African interests in global forums like the G20.
‘Africa is not a footnote in history; we are its authors’
Africa must become the author of its future
Esteemed leaders, Africa is not a footnote in history; we are its authors. Our ancestors—Nkrumah, Kaunda, Sankara amongst others—dreamed of a united continent free from external chains. Rubio’s words are a provocation, but they can be our catalyst. Let us be unashamedly selfish in our pursuit of prosperity, turning inward to build the Africa we deserve: integrated, resilient, and sovereign. The threats are real, but so is our potential. Wake up, unite, and act—before we find ourselves on the menu once more.
Samuel Esson Jonah
Accra, Ghana
February 18, 2026
Sir Samuel Esson Jonah is a Ghanaian businessman and international corporate leader. He is executive chairman of Johannesburg-based Jonah Capital and a former president of AngloGold Ashanti, where he played a central role in building one of the world’s leading gold mining companies. He currently serves as chancellor of the University of Cape Coast and was awarded an honorary knighthood (KBE) in 2003 in recognition of his contributions to global business and public service
