President Mahama calls for collective action on reparations at 38th AU summit 

President John Dramani Mahama has called for collective action towards achieving justice for Africans and people of African descent through reparations. 

Launching the African Union theme of the year 2025 during the 38th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia on Saturday, February 15, President Mahama said the pursuit of justice requires stronger legal and institutional mechanisms at national, regional, and international levels. 

"We must continue to advocate for stronger legal and institutional mechanisms... to ensure that justice for the historical trauma inflicted on global Africa is not just a conversation, but a reality," he said.

Theme

The African Union has dedicated the year 2025 to addressing historical injustices and their lingering consequences, which have impacted generations of Africans and people of African descent , under the theme: "Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations.” 

The initiative aligns with the AU vision of Agenda 2063 for an integrated, peaceful, and prosperous continent. 

The initiative seeks to mobilise political will, foster partnerships, engage stakeholders, elevate awareness, encourage dialogue, and ensure an end to the culture of silence and denial on racism and colonialism.

President Mahama said the Accra Reparations Conference in November 2023 reaffirmed the need for comprehensive reparatory justice and led to the development of stronger advocacy and policy frameworks.

He explained that achieving justice requires collaboration among European member states, regional economic communities, the global African diaspora, civil society organizations, academia, the private sector, and international partners.

Slave trade 

President Mahama said the devastating effects of the transatlantic slave trade, colonialism, apartheid, genocide, and neo-colonial exploitation, have resulted in economic disparities, social inequality, systemic discrimination, and racial prejudices.

He noted that the transatlantic slave trade was one of the most heinous crimes against humanity, spanning about 400 years and forcibly displacing more than 12.5 million Africans. 

For instance, President Mahama said an estimated two million Africans perished during the middle passage alone.

He said the legacy of this brutal system along with colonialism, apartheid, genocide, and new colonial exploitation have left deep and endurance cast on the fabric of our societies. 

"The economic impact of colonialism on Africa has been profound, with the continent losing trillions of dollars in both human and material resources due to colonial exploitation," President Mahama said.

President Mahama noted that the descendants of enslaved Africans continue to face economic disparities, social inequality, systemic discrimination, and racial prejudices. 

He said addressing these challenges requires more than just acknowledging them, “It demands action”. 

"We must continue to advocate for stronger legal and institutional mechanisms at the national, regional, and international levels to ensure that justice for the historical trauma inflicted on global Africa is not just a conversation, but a reality," President Mahama said. 

President Mahama expressed Ghana's support for the critical initiative, urging collective action towards a future that is fair, just, and equitable for all Africans and people of African descent.