Mahama, African Leaders to champion reparations at Pan-African Congress Anniversary October 20-21
President John Dramani Mahama will deliver the keynote address at the International Conference commemorating the 80th anniversary of the 5th Pan-African Congress scheduled for October 20-21, 2025, at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) of the University of Ghana, Legon.
The announcement was made by veteran journalist and member of the organising committee of the Pan-African Progressive Front (PPF), Kwesi Pratt Jr., at a press launch held on October 7, 2025, in Accra.
Mr Pratt said the conference, themed, “From Historical Memory to Economic and Political Justice – Uniting Pan-African Progressive Forces,” will reflect on the unfinished mission of the 1945 Manchester Congress, which set the tone for Africa’s liberation movements and the formation of the African Union.
He described President Mahama’s participation as highly significant, noting that the former President currently serves as the African Union’s Chairperson on Reparations and has been instrumental in advancing the cause of economic justice across the continent.
“We are especially grateful to President John Dramani Mahama for graciously accepting to address the meeting,” Mr Pratt stated.
“This for us is of particular importance, given that President Mahama is the official African Union chairperson on Reparations and has committed himself to pursuing the agenda of the founding fathers of the African Union, including Modibo Keita, Sekou Toure, Patrice Lumumba, and others.”
The conference is expected to attract delegates from more than 50 African and Caribbean countries, including political parties, trade unions, youth and women’s organisations, student movements, and mass-based civil society groups.
Discussions will focus on the continuation of national liberation struggles, the consolidation of independence, continental unity, reparative justice, and new models of social and economic development aimed at freeing Africa from neocolonial domination.
According to Mr Pratt, several prominent African scholars and activists will take part in the conference, among them Comrade Irvin Jim, General Secretary of the Metal Workers Union of South Africa; Professor Akua Britwum of the University of Cape Coast and Chairperson of the National Media Commission; Dr Gamal Nasser Adam, former Vice President of the Islamic University College, Ghana; and Joe Ajaero, General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress.
He also revealed that efforts were underway to secure the participation of the leadership of the Alliance of Sahel States, including Burkina Faso’s President Ibrahim Traoré, who is expected to address participants.
Mr Pratt explained that the commemoration goes beyond historical reflection, describing it as a “positive regathering of Africans to assert their rights in a world shaped against their dreams for freedom from all forms of poverty occasioned by the debt burden and the unbridled exploitation of their resources.”
He said the spirit of the 1945 Manchester Congress, which championed national liberation, self-determination, and control of Africa’s resources, remained relevant today as global alliances shift and digital economies reshape global power dynamics.
Mr Pratt urged the media to play a central role in this new phase of Pan-African awakening by amplifying Africa’s voice and telling its story from a position of strength and dignity. “We invite you to be partners in this great rebirth of Africa,” he said.
The two-day event, organised by the Pan-African Progressive Front, will bring together thinkers, activists and policymakers committed to advancing Africa’s political and economic sovereignty in the 21st century. The Conference results will culminate in the signing of the Accra Declaration, which will define Africa's future for decades.
