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President John Dramani Mahama has urged his fellow leaders to work together to ensure reparations and justice for Africans and people of African heritage.
At the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union, which is now taking place in Addis Ababa, President Mahama introduced the African Union theme for 2025. He stated that in order to pursue justice, more robust institutional and legal frameworks at the national, regional, and global levels are necessary.
“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.
Generations of Africans and people of African origin have been affected by past injustices and their lasting effects, which the African Union is focusing on this year. “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations” is the central theme.
As President Mahama pointed out, the initiative supports the African Union’s Agenda 2063 for a prosperous, peaceful, and united continent.
The program seeks to remove the culture of silence and denial surrounding racism and colonialism by mobilizing political will, fostering partnerships, engaging stakeholders, raising awareness, and promoting discourse.
According to President Mahama, the November 2023 Accra Reparations Conference strengthened advocacy and policy frameworks while reinforcing the need for full reparatory justice.
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.”
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
