President John Dramani Mahama has departed Accra for New York to participate in the 81st United Nations General Assembly, beginning a week of high level diplomatic engagements focused on international cooperation, development, investment and Ghana's priorities on the global stage.

The Presidency confirmed that Mahama left Ghana on Saturday, September 19, ahead of a packed programmed that will include Ghana's official address to the General Assembly, meetings with world leaders and international organizations and two major side events hosted by the President.

The 2026 General Assembly is being held under the theme Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation, A United Nations that Delivers for All.

According to the Presidency, Mahama's engagements will focus on Africa's renewal, historical justice, international cooperation, investment and Ghana's development priorities.

MAHAMA TO ADDRESS UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

President Mahama is scheduled to deliver Ghana's official statement during the main General Debate on Thursday, September 24.

The address will provide the President with an opportunity to present Ghana's positions on major international issues and outline the country's priorities before world leaders gathered in New York.

The General Debate is one of the most prominent events on the international diplomatic calendar, bringing together heads of state and government from around the world.

Ghana's participation comes at a time of continuing international debate over global security, development financing, economic transformation and reform of international institutions.

GHANA TO HOST ACCRA RESET EVENT

Mahama will host a high level event on the Accra Reset on Monday, September 21.

The event, titled Full Circle, Making Global Development Work Again, is expected to bring together international leaders to discuss reforms to global development and international cooperation.

The Accra Reset has become one of the initiatives through which Mahama has advocated changes to the relationship between African countries and the international development system.

The New York event will provide another platform for Ghana to advance those discussions with international partners.

REPARATORY JUSTICE ALSO ON AGENDA

A second major event hosted by Mahama will focus on reparatory justice and the return of African cultural heritage.

Scheduled for Wednesday, September 23, the event will examine international cooperation surrounding the return and restitution of cultural properties and heritage.

The programmed is titled From Commitments to Action on Reparatory Justice, Advancing International Cooperation for the Return and Restitution of Cultural Properties and Heritage.

The event forms part of Ghana's wider advocacy on reparations and historical justice.

Mahama has previously used international platforms to call for greater recognition of the historical and continuing consequences of slavery, colonialism and the removal of African cultural property.

MEETINGS WITH WORLD LEADERS AND UN CHIEF

Beyond the formal UN programmed, Mahama is expected to hold several bilateral and strategic meetings.

According to the Presidency, these will include engagements with world leaders, strategic international partners and United Nations Secretary General António Guterres.

The President is also expected to meet executives of multinational companies.

Those engagements will include efforts to promote Ghana as a destination for investment and strengthen economic partnerships.

The meetings provide Ghana with an opportunity to combine its diplomatic agenda with efforts to attract international capital and deepen commercial relationships.

MAHAMA TO RING NASDAQ CLOSING BELL

The President's New York programmed will also extend beyond the United Nations.

Mahama is scheduled to ring the NASDAQ Closing Bell as part of his engagements in the United States.

He will also participate in a US Ghana Presidential Roundtable organized by the US Africa Chamber of Commerce.

The roundtable is expected to focus on investment and commercial opportunities between Ghana and the United States.

Mahama is additionally scheduled to speak at an event organized by the Council on Foreign Relations as part of the Open Leaders Summit.

TOWN HALL WITH GHANAIANS IN NEW YORK

On Friday, September 25, Mahama is scheduled to hold a town hall meeting with members of the Ghanaian community in New York.

The meeting will give the President an opportunity to discuss national development and engage Ghanaians living in the United States.

Diaspora engagement has increasingly become part of Ghana's international economic and diplomatic strategy, with successive governments seeking greater investment and participation from Ghanaians living abroad.

GHANA ENTERS WEEK OF HIGH LEVEL DIPLOMACY

Mahama's visit places Ghana at the Centre of several diplomatic, economic and development discussions taking place alongside the General Assembly.

The President is travelling with First Lady Lordina Dramani Mahama, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Cabinet ministers, senior Presidency officials and other government officials.

His programmed combines formal diplomacy at the United Nations with investment promotion, engagement with international institutions and outreach to the Ghanaian diaspora.

Attention will particularly focus on Ghana's statement before the General Assembly on September 24 and the positions Mahama presents on the international issues confronting Africa and the wider world.