President Mahama urges collective action on reparations at 38th AU Summit

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

Speaking at the launch of the African Union's (AU) 2025 theme during the 38th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Saturday, President Mahama stressed the need for stronger legal and institutional mechanisms at national, regional, and international levels to ensure reparatory justice.

"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 AU has dedicated 2025 to addressing historical injustices and their lingering consequences under the theme: "Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations.” The initiative aligns with the AU’s Agenda 2063 vision of an integrated, peaceful, and prosperous Africa.

It aims to mobilise political will, foster partnerships, engage stakeholders, raise awareness, encourage dialogue, and end the culture of silence and denial surrounding racism and colonialism.

President Mahama noted that the Accra Reparations Conference in November 2023 reaffirmed the urgent need for comprehensive reparatory justice, strengthening advocacy and policy frameworks. He stressed that achieving justice requires collaboration among European states, regional economic communities, the global African diaspora, civil society organisations, academia, the private sector, and international partners.

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

Describing the transatlantic slave trade as one of history’s most heinous crimes, he noted that it lasted nearly 400 years and forcibly displaced more than 12.5 million Africans. He further cited that an estimated two million Africans perished during the Middle Passage alone.

"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 stated.

He emphasised that the descendants of enslaved Africans continue to suffer economic and social disparities, adding that mere acknowledgment of these injustices is not enough—decisive action is required.

"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," he reiterated.

President Mahama reaffirmed Ghana’s support for the reparations agenda, urging collective efforts to build a future that is fair, just, and equitable for all Africans and people of African descent.