President John Dramani Mahama has called upon his fellow heads of state to collectively act in securing justice for Africans and individuals of African descent through reparations.

Launching the African Union theme for 2025 at the ongoing 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union in Addis Ababa, President Mahama said pursuing 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.

The African Union is dedicating the year to efforts to address historical injustices and their lingering consequences, which have impacted generations of Africans and people of African descent. The theme is “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations.”

The initiative, as President Mahama noted, aligns with the AU’s Agenda 2063 for an integrated, peaceful, and prosperous continent.

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

President Mahama stated that the Accra Reparations Conference in November 2023 reaffirmed the necessity for comprehensive reparatory justice and resulted in the establishment of stronger advocacy and policy frameworks.

He explained that achieving justice requires collaboration among European member states, regional economic communities, the global African dias

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, adding that the legacy of this brutal system, along with colonialism, apartheid, genocide, and new colonial exploitation, has 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.”