Mahama Calls on AU States to Support Caribbean Nations Hit by Hurricane Melissa

John Dramani Mahama has appealed to African Union (AU) member states to urgently mobilise relief items to support Caribbean nations, including Jamaica and Cuba, devastated by Hurricane Melissa.

Speaking in Accra at an international conference marking the 5th Pan-African Congress and the 80th anniversary of the historic 1945 Manchester meeting, Mr Mahama said Africa’s solidarity must extend beyond the continent to all people of African descent and humanity at large.

He announced that Ghana will lead by example by dispatching troops from the military’s 48 Engineers Regiment—comprising carpenters, masons, plumbers, electricians, and other specialists—to help construct temporary shelters for displaced victims who are currently sleeping in the open.

“One of the aspects of Pan-Africanism is solidarity,” he said. “When Hurricane Melissa struck, we did not yet know the full extent of the destruction. But out of our Pan-African spirit, we put together food and other supplies and shipped them to our comrades in Cuba and Jamaica.”

According to Mr Mahama, Ghana has already sent bags of rice, medication, plastic containers, mattresses, blankets, and other relief materials to the two countries.

However, recent assessments have revealed that the devastation—especially in Jamaica—is far more severe than initially understood.

“Their greatest need now is shelter. People have been displaced and are sleeping under the rain and in the sun,” he noted. “The extent of destruction in Jamaica is beyond Ghana’s capacity alone to repair.”

The president said he has written to the African Union, urging all member states to donate essential materials such as blankets and tarpaulins to support makeshift shelter construction.

“If Pan-African solidarity means anything, it is in moments like this,” he stressed. “I don’t believe that what we are giving alone will solve the problem, but symbolically, if we all come together, it will make a significant difference.”

Mr Mahama said Ghana will also procure and ship heavy-duty tarpaulins—commonly used to cover cargo trucks—to support emergency accommodation efforts in Jamaica.

Reflecting on 80 years since the Manchester Congress, Mr Mahama said the principles of unity, self-determination, and shared destiny remain relevant, even as Africa confronts new forms of inequality.

He paid tribute to historic Pan-Africanists such as Kwame Nkrumah, George Padmore, and W.E.B. DuBois, emphasising that today’s struggles demand economic transformation, technological sovereignty, climate justice, and political stability.

“Africa is rich in natural resources but poor in global influence,” he said. “Too many of our youth are unemployed and losing faith in a continent that once promised dignity and pride.”

He added that while political liberation has long been achieved, Africa must now focus on building stronger economies and resilient institutions.

Mr Mahama concluded with an appeal to all African nations and global Pan-Africanists to respond to the Caribbean’s distress.

“Jamaica, Cuba, and other Caribbean countries are appealing for assistance. Whoever is listening—across Africa and beyond—this is the time to show solidarity,” he said.

The conference brought together dignitaries including former President John Agyekum Kufuor, international delegates, academics, and Pan-African activists committed to advancing the continent’s unity and global relevance.

The post Mahama Calls on AU States to Support Caribbean Nations Hit by Hurricane Melissa appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.

Read Full Story