Ghana’s head of state praised Canada this week for advocating against what he called a “rigged global system” that keeps African countries trapped by debt and mired in climate chaos.
asserted
that → praise → chaos
His comments come as Canadian officials confirm Ottawa will appoint a new Africa envoy, months after leaving the post vacant.
asserted
Ottawa → come → post
“Canada has a favourable disposition towards the Global South,” Ghana’s President John Mahama said Tuesday as he met with Prime Minister Mark Carney at the Commonwealth summit in Antigua and Barbuda.
asserted
he → have → Antigua
“With what is going on in the world, I think that this is a time for us to come closer together.”
asserted
us → go → world
Developing countries advocated for financial reforms at the Commonwealth summit.
asserted
countries → develop → summit
Canada has for years called for reforms to financing rules for developing countries, many of which face high interest rates and crushing debtloads.
asserted
many → call → rates
Many of those countries — particularly smaller island countries in the Caribbean and South Pacific — are also being hit hard and more often by natural disasters.
asserted
Many → hit → disasters
Carney’s predecessor Justin Trudeau co-led a United Nations project that advocated for reforms to how the World Bank and others extend financing to countries.
asserted
Bank → co → countries
The project’s goal was to free up capital that countries could invest in climate-resilient hospitals and schools.
uncertain
countries → free → hospitals
Carney has called for reforms to multilateral development banks and used the G7 summit in Alberta last year to announce funding for those institutions to bring in private capital to meet goals in education and climate adaptation.
asserted
institutions → call → education
Ghana now faces its worst economic crisis in a generation, due in part to its debt structure and the effects of climate change on major crops like cocoa.
asserted
Ghana → face → cocoa
These trends have contributed to coups and instability in other parts of West Africa.
asserted
trends → contribute → Africa
“You are a fresh, new voice in terms of global advocacy,” Mahama told Carney.
asserted
Mahama → tell → Carney
“Africa has been talking about the rigged global system, where Africa borrows more expensively.
asserted
Africa → talk → system
Africa contributed the least to climate crisis — four per cent contribution to climate crises — yet faces some of the worst crises caused by the climate events, and have to borrow at a higher rate to be able to deal with those climate fallouts.”
asserted
Africa → contribute → fallouts
Mahama also noted Carney’s advocacy for rules-based trade as the U.S. trade war continues.
asserted
war → note → trade
“You are quite vocal on issues to do with the breakdown in multilateralism and the rise of unilateral actions by some nations,” he said, adding Canada has borne “the brunt of some of the strongest tariffs.”
asserted
Canada → do → tariffs
Carney made a widely publicized speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January.
asserted
Carney → make → January
In it, he urged smaller countries to band together to limit coercion by superpowers.
asserted
he → urge → superpowers
Ghana is among many African states calling for a more equitable multilateral system.
asserted
Ghana → call → system
They’ve called for the United Nations to be restructured so rich, western countries share more power with other nations.
asserted
countries → call → nations
Global Affairs says Ottawa will ultimately appoint a special envoy for Africa, after leaving the post vacant since June.
asserted
Ottawa → say → June
The new role was part of the Trudeau government’s Africa Strategy, which called for Canada to shift its policy for the continent away from a focus on foreign aid, and to pursue more economic engagement and trade with the continent’s young population.
asserted
Canada → call → population
The Trudeau government delayed the Africa strategy for years, issued it without a news conference days before an election call, and provided no new funding for the strategy.
asserted
government → delay → strategy
In 2022 the Indo-Pacific strategy came with a $2.3 billion pledge.
asserted
strategy → come → pledge
Last December, as experts warned Canada was losing influence on a continent where it used to have stronger ties, the Senate foreign affairs committee urged the Carney government to clarify its stance on Africa.
asserted
committee → warn → Africa
Officials testified last week to the committee in response to that report.
asserted
Officials → testify → report
Cheryl Urban, who leads the Africa branch of Global Affairs Canada, confirmed a continental envoy will be appointed, though she wasn’t sure when.
asserted
she → lead → Canada
“We are currently reviewing it but we will have an appointment,” she testified in French, adding that the government is looking for someone with a background in business and trade.
asserted
government → review → business
Mahama said Canada should work to restore the reputation it built on the continent decades ago through the work of former aid agency CIDA and as a major lender to African countries.
asserted
it → say → countries
“Canada has had a very favourable ... opinion in Ghana.
asserted
Canada → have → Ghana
I think that there are things we can do to build back up,” he said.
asserted
he → think → ?
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2026.
asserted
report → publish → Press
The Aporia
