President Mahama calls for collective action on reparations

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

Launching the AU Theme of the Year 2025 during the 38th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia last Saturday, President Mahama said the pursuit of justice required stronger legal and institutional mechanisms at the national, regional and international levels. 

Theme

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

The initiative aligns with the AU vision of Agenda 2063 of an integrated, peaceful and prosperous continent. It also seeks to mobilise political will, foster partnerships, engage stakeholders, elevate awareness, encourage dialogue and ensure an end to the culture of silence and denial of racism and colonialism.

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

He explained that achieving justice required collaboration among European member states, regional economic communities, the global African diaspora, CSOs, 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 described the transatlantic slave trade as one of the most heinous crimes against humanity, spanning about 400 years and forcibly displacing more than 12.5 million Africans.

For instance, the President said an estimated 2,000,000 Africans perished during the Middle Passage alone.

He said the legacy of such a brutal system, along with colonialism, apartheid, genocide and new colonial exploitation, is a deep cut on the fabric of 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 exploitation," President Mahama added.

Racial prejudice

The President further said that descendants of enslaved Africans continued to face economic disparities, social inequality, systemic discrimination and racial prejudices.

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

"We must continue to advocate 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.

He 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.