By Celestine Avi and Seth Eyiah
President John Dramani Mahama has called for deeper African trade integration, saying stronger economic ties among countries could help prevent conflicts and reduce the incentives for instability.
He argued that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) should be viewed not only as a commercial initiative but also as an important instrument for peace and security.
Presenting the 2026 Tana State of Peace and Security in Africa Report in Ethiopia, President Mahama said integrated markets could make neighbouring countries more valuable to one another as trading partners than as geopolitical adversaries.
He explained that traceable regional value chains could help reduce illicit mineral trading, illegal taxation at roadblocks and the economic activities that sustain armed networks.
President Mahama also highlighted the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System, which enables participating countries to settle eligible cross-border transactions in African currencies.
He commended Ethiopia for joining the system and urged other African countries to follow suit.
The President, however, cautioned that trade alone could not replace political settlements, stressing that poverty, border tensions and economic exclusion remained potential sources of conflict.
He called for stronger regional economic cooperation alongside effective political and security arrangements.
