You are Ghana regret it The loudest voice was that of Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, who warned the U.S. its aid cuts will lead to a loss of influence abroad to other major powers <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POux9_ZC5ACY5PXdtVJUhQ21F2HZMTvjaPazvCrdZ5QxoyNIMrQzYiyVf_3-Y2hp-s2Was2I4lftYK_pUCJlnqOKTxFFqJJxQ7HbuJxUIM0FnmuQbfaL9KgTUfoX9ASK8cXW8QTCVPoW-oIT-DjoVD_jqVoDf3vJOoTzvPmxs1_wLI_cmvbqgh2wnO1stX_H-F8KLdaBSyHLXuT5o3MG9wvHEgQL9sXgvO2zGcVPlNQrps2hnFFgLhv2nkasCEkwiDA==/Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGYszLyFvkDUArGnlRk4K8HZAnB9ZEWmVmW9fOHwKz8x_zC5wua6o1cB7QGa5t-qRVFXd93Jt0=>, with the memorable phrase: *“As bridges are burning, new bridges are being formed.”* Mahama set out the pain inflicted on his country, telling a side meeting Ghana has been forced to cut $156 million of spending, including on economic growth and education plans, and — “the most critical” — $78 million of health cuts, to children’s care, maternity services, HIV testing, and access to antiretroviral drugs. However, Mahama sought to strike a positive note, arguing the awful decisions he and others are making would, in time, *make Africa “more self-reliant,”* boosting its food production and reducing trade barriers across the continent. On the impact for the U.S. of its retreat on the world stage, he said: “*One thing the U.S. will lose is that soft power* it has wielded in the world — I mean, these are people that are grateful for the assistance they get.” “There are many other partners. The U.S. are not our only partner. We will continue to cooperate with other countries and that’s why we have a multipolar world,” he added, without mentioning the widely predicted *main beneficiary — which is, of course, China.* “As bridges are burning, new bridges are being formed. We need to look for those new bridges and link the world with those new bridges,” Mahama said. *Ghana on US aid cuts:* ‘As bridges are burning, new bridges are formed’ <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POux9_ZC5ACY5PXdtVJUhQ21F2HZMTvjaPazvCrdZ5QxoyNIMrQzYiyVf_3-Y2hp-s2Was2I4lftYK_pUCJlnqOKTxFFqJJxQ7HbuJxUIM0FnmuQbfaL9KgTUfoX9ASK8cXW8QTCVPoW-oIT-DjoVD_jqVoDf3vJOoTzvPmxs1_wLI_cmvbqgh2wnO1stX_H-F8KLdaBSyHLXuT5o3MG9wvHEgQL9sXgvO2zGcVPlNQrpa8sdsWX5fTM3tsgK2dWpLQ==/Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGYszLyFvkDUArGnlRk4K8HZAnB9ZEWmVmW9fOHwKz8x_zC5wua6o1cB7QGa5t-qRVFXd93Jt0=>