Ex-President Koroma Calls for Action-Oriented African Unity at Accra Summit

Former President of Sierra Leone, H.E. Ernest Bai Koroma, has urged African leaders and citizens to move beyond symbolic commitments and adopt a practical, implementation-driven approach to continental unity.

He made the call while addressing delegates at the African Unity Summit held in Accra, Ghana, a city widely regarded as the birthplace of Pan-Africanism.

Speaking to a diverse audience of policymakers, academics, and civil society representatives, Koroma framed African unity as a deliberate choice rather than an abstract ideal. He argued that the continent’s continued fragmentation carries tangible economic and political costs, particularly at a time when global actors increasingly engage Africa as a single strategic bloc.

“The world already engages Africa as one continent,” Koroma said. “Our weakness is that we continue to negotiate as many.”

He recalled that Pan-Africanism was conceived not as a symbolic movement, but as a practical response to the divisions imposed by colonialism. According to Koroma, unity was envisioned as a pathway to dignity, prosperity, and global relevance, goals he said remain unfulfilled due to slow implementation of integration efforts.

Koroma pointed to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), headquartered in Accra, as evidence that African unity is no longer theoretical. While acknowledging its potential, he stressed that the agreement must be fully and rapidly implemented to deliver measurable benefits. He identified economic integration, infrastructure connectivity, digital harmonisation, and shared governance frameworks as essential components of that process.

Highlighting Africa’s demographic and resource profile, Koroma noted that the continent possesses assets increasingly scarce elsewhere, including a youthful population, vast natural resources, and large markets. However, he warned that these advantages have not translated into broad-based prosperity due to a lack of coordinated action. He described the result as “poverty amid plenty.”

In outlining priorities for the continent, Koroma called for accelerated implementation of AfCFTA, increased investment in continental transport and digital infrastructure, stronger shared institutions and security mechanisms, and targeted preparation of Africa’s youth for opportunities in an integrated continental economy.

“The question before us is no longer whether Africa can afford to unite,” he said, “but whether it can afford not to.”

Concluding his address, Koroma challenged African leaders to demonstrate political courage by prioritising integration over isolation and decisive leadership over hesitation. He urged the continent to move from aspiration to implementation, stressing that the credibility of African unity depends on concrete outcomes rather than declarations.

The African Unity Summit, organised by The African Summit and The African Legacies Institute, brought together participants from across the continent and beyond to discuss pathways toward deeper integration and collective development.