Former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has cautioned African nations against allowing the continent to become an arena for global power rivalries, stressing the need for unity and strategic action to safeguard sovereignty and development.

He made the call on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, when he delivered the keynote address at the Strategic Meeting of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung’s (KAS) African Team and its political partners at the Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel in Accra.

The gathering marked the climax of KAS’s annual meeting, which brought together country representatives from across Africa as well as members of the Foundation’s Board from Berlin, Germany.

Ahead of the event, Akufo-Addo met with Prof. Norbert Lammert, former Speaker of the German Parliament and current Chairman of KAS, along with senior officials from the Foundation’s headquarters.

Speaking on the theme of geopolitical shifts and their impact on Africa, Akufo-Addo highlighted both risks and opportunities presented by the fast-changing, multi-polar global order.

He noted that influence is now dispersed among major actors, including the United States, China, Russia, the European Union, India, and the expanded BRICS bloc, which recently welcomed Egypt and Ethiopia.

With such competition intensifying, he warned that Africa must resist being reduced to a pawn in great power rivalries.

“African nations must elude attempts to turn the continent into an arena of rivalries, where our sovereignty and development aspirations are compromised and subordinated to external interests,” he said.

Akufo-Addo urged African leaders to adopt a more strategic and united front, diversify international partnerships, negotiate fairer terms with global powers, and accelerate economic integration through instruments such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The former president added that by strengthening cooperation and focusing on homegrown transformation, Africa could seize the opportunities of the new global landscape rather than fall victim to its risks.