GCHRA26: Global HR experts converge in Accra to shape the future of work

• GCHRA26 has opened in Accra, bringing together government officials, HR professionals and global business leaders to discuss the future of work and Africa’s economic transformation.

• Speakers stressed that people, not technology alone, will drive Africa’s AI future, with calls for greater investment in skills, leadership and human capital.

• Experts urged Africa to harness its youthful population, strengthen digital skills, process its natural resources locally and create policies that can turn its demographic advantage into sustainable economic growth.

The three-day conference, being held at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City, is being held under the theme, “Leading the Transformation: HR as a Catalyst for Organisational Success and Global Impact.”

The opening day focused heavily on the changing world of work and the growing influence of artificial intelligence, with speakers stressing that technology alone will not determine Africa’s economic future.

Instead, they argued that the continent’s greatest asset remains its people and the ability of organisations and governments to develop the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly digital economy.

Opening the conference, Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, emphasised the importance of responsible leadership and human capital development.

The Wa Central MP, who is serving his sixth term in Parliament, told delegates that leadership comes with the responsibility to create opportunities and develop people.

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He said;

His remarks set the tone for discussions that would dominate the first day of the conference, particularly the need to ensure that technological advancement is matched by investment in workers.

Achal Khanna, CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) for India, Asia Pacific and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), said the conference has grown beyond an annual gathering into a broader movement connecting HR and business leaders.

SHRM has more than 340,000 members across 183 countries.

Khanna said the organisation remained committed to bringing global HR expertise to Africa while encouraging local leadership to shape solutions suited to the continent.

She challenged the notion that artificial intelligence would single-handedly define the future of work, arguing that human qualities such as trust and purpose would remain essential.

She said;

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According to Khanna, Africa’s youthful and rapidly expanding workforce presents a significant opportunity for HR professionals to influence the continent’s economic future.

She also noted that SHRM’s Global President and CEO, Johnny C. Taylor Jr., had identified Ghana as a strategic hub for HR leaders across Africa and beyond.

Dr Francis Kukubor, in a keynote address titled “Resetting Africa’s Promise: Harnessing Human Capital and Artificial Intelligence for Economic Transformation”, argued that Africa’s biggest challenge is not a lack of resources but the failure to turn its potential into measurable economic performance.

He cited research from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa suggesting that increased adoption of frontier technologies could generate significant productivity and economic gains over time.

However, he stressed that technological adoption must go hand in hand with stronger leadership and workforce development.

Kukubor urged HR professionals to take on a greater role in guiding organisations through the adoption of artificial intelligence, describing the profession as the *“custodian of responsible AI adoption”*.

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He also linked human capital development to Ghana’s proposed 24-hour economy, arguing that the initiative would require a workforce capable of operating around the clock.

He concluded with a call for Africa to redefine its approach to artificial intelligence.

He said;

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He warned that failure to create enough economic opportunities for Africa’s growing youth population could have serious social consequences.

The opening day of GCHRA26 produced a common message from speakers: Africa’s technological ambitions must be matched by investment in its people.

While artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies are expected to reshape businesses and workplaces, speakers maintained that skills, leadership, trust and human creativity will remain central to Africa’s ability to compete globally.

The conference continues with additional sessions, panel discussions and masterclasses through 15 August at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra, with discussions expected to further explore the role of HR in driving organisational and economic transformation.