Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama has called for coordinated action across the African Union to secure reparations for historical injustices committed against Africans and people of African descent.
Speaking at the 38th Ordinary Session of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Mahama launched the AU’s theme for 2025: “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations.”
“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 president described the transatlantic slave trade as “one of the most heinous crimes against humanity,” noting that it spanned 400 years and forcibly displaced more than 12.5 million Africans, with an estimated two million people perishing during the middle passage alone.
Mahama highlighted the economic impact of colonialism, saying Africa had lost “trillions of dollars in both human and material resources due to colonial exploitation.” He added that the legacy of slavery, colonialism, apartheid and genocide continues to affect descendants of enslaved Africans, who “face economic disparities, social inequality, systemic discrimination, and racial prejudices.”
The initiative aims to mobilise political will, foster partnerships and encourage dialogue about racism and colonialism. It follows the Accra Reparations Conference in November 2023, which Mahama said had established “stronger advocacy and policy frameworks.”
He emphasised that achieving justice would require collaboration among European member states, regional economic communities and the global African diaspora.
The theme aligns with the AU’s Agenda 2063, which envisions “an integrated, peaceful, and prosperous continent.”
