Sierra Leone’s former president Ernest Bai Koroma has challenged African leaders to demonstrate the political will needed to tackle corruption, strengthen democratic institutions and ensure the continent’s natural resources benefit its people.
Speaking at the 12th Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, held from 23-25 October 2026, Koroma argued that Africa’s vast natural wealth has failed to deliver enough prosperity because of weaknesses in leadership, resource management and public institutions.
Addressing a panel on African ownership of peace and sovereignty amid growing geopolitical rivalry, he urged governments to take responsibility for decisions shaping their countries’ futures.
“Do we have the political will to address these issues?” he asked, stressing that meaningful change requires commitment beyond political promises.
Koroma said genuine sovereignty must go beyond national independence. African countries, he argued, cannot claim full control over their future if they depend heavily on external financing, fail to protect their mineral resources or export raw materials without developing industries that create jobs and retain more wealth locally.
“We cannot be sovereign when we cannot fund ourselves. We cannot be sovereign when we cannot protect our minerals,” he said.
He also linked democracy to lasting peace, calling for free and fair elections, stronger anti-corruption measures and efficient institutions capable of managing public resources in the interest of citizens. He urged African countries to deepen regional cooperation, noting that security threats cannot be addressed effectively by individual states acting alone.
Koroma warned that armed conflicts in countries such as Sudan, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo were damaging more than infrastructure and livelihoods. They were also depriving young people of education, employment and opportunities to contribute to national development.
His message echoed concerns raised by Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, chair of the Tana Forum Board, who called for greater economic independence through industrialisation, food and energy security, and stronger African control over development priorities. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also urged African countries to strengthen cooperation and pursue homegrown solutions.
The forum, held under the theme “Pathways to Peace in Africa: Economic Sovereignty and Geopolitical Transformation,” brought together political leaders, policymakers and security experts to examine how economic independence and African-led solutions can support lasting peace.
Koroma’s central message was that Africa must move beyond repeated declarations and deliver measurable results. Stronger accountability, responsible resource management and cooperation among African states, he argued, are essential to ensuring the continent’s wealth translates into security, opportunity and improved living standards for its people.
