The African Union’s (AU) designation of “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations” as its 2025 theme marks a pivotal moment in the global struggle for redress against historical injustices rooted in slavery, colonialism, and systemic racism. This theme not only revives but also institutionalizes decades-long advocacy efforts, notably the Abuja Proclamation of 1993 and the Accra Proclamation of 2023, which sought to frame reparations as a moral, legal, and economic imperative. By anchoring its agenda in these foundational documents, the AU underscores the urgency of addressing the enduring legacies of exploitation while fostering transnational solidarity among Africans and the diaspora.
Revitalization
The Abuja Proclamation, adopted during the First Pan-African Conference on Reparations in Nigeria, represents the first systemic attempt by African states to collectively demand accountability for the transatlantic slave trade, colonialism, and their intergenerational impacts. The document explicitly condemned these systems as “crimes against humanity” and called for reparations in the form of debt cancellation, technology transfer, and institutional support for education and healthcare. It further urged former colonial powers to acknowledge their historical culpability. However, the Abuja Proclamation faced significant challenges. Global powers such as the United States and European nations resisted formal reparations frameworks, dismissing them as impractical or anachronistic. Additionally, internal divisions within Africa—stemming from varying priorities among member states—hindered cohesive advocacy. Despite these obstacles, Abuja laid the groundwork for future initiatives by institutionalizing reparations as a Pan-African priority. The Accra Proclamation, ratified during the AU’s 36th Ordinary Session in Ghana, reinvigorated reparations discourse by aligning it with contemporary movements for racial justice, such as Black Lives Matter and the restitution of cultural artifacts. The declaration emphasized the need for “concrete measures” to address systemic racism, economic marginalization, and the psychological trauma inflicted by centuries of exploitation. Key proposals included:
- Establishing a global reparations commission under UN auspices.
- Repatriating stolen cultural heritage and natural resources.
- Developing legal frameworks to hold corporations and states accountable for historical crimes.
Central to the Accra Proclamation is the inclusion of the African diaspora —designated as the “sixth region” of the AU—and partnerships with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and African American communities. This reflects a recognition that reparations must address the global dimensions of historical harm, transcending geographical and generational boundaries. By engaging diasporic voices, the AU aims to balance narratives of harm and responsibility, ensuring that neither Africa nor the West monopolizes blame or absolves itself of accountability.
Implementation Roadmap: From Rhetoric to Action
The AU’s 2025 theme operationalizes the principles of Abuja and Accra within the framework of Agenda 2063, the continent’s blueprint for inclusive development. By prioritizing reparations, the AU positions justice as a prerequisite for achieving “the Africa We Want”—a vision of prosperity rooted in equity and self-determination. The theme’s emphasis on people of African descent also aligns with the UN’s International Decade for People of African Descent (2015–2024), which advocates for racial justice and development.
One of the cornerstone elements of this roadmap is the establishment of a dedicated Technical Unit within the AU’s institutional architecture. This unit will serve as the nerve center for reparations advocacy, providing technical expertise, policy guidance, and logistical support to member states, civil society organizations, and international partners. Its mandate includes mobilizing resources—both financial and intellectual—to sustain long-term reparations initiatives. By acting as a liaison between national governments, regional bodies, and global stakeholders, the Technical Unit aims to bridge gaps in capacity and coordination. For instance, smaller or less economically empowered nations can draw on the unit’s expertise to navigate complex diplomatic negotiations with former colonial powers. Additionally, the unit will facilitate knowledge-sharing platforms, ensuring that best practices from successful reparations efforts—such as Holocaust restitution or indigenous land claims—are adapted to the African context.
Another critical component of the roadmap is the effort to forge a common African position on reparations. Historically, individual African states have often hesitated to engage in unilateral reparations advocacy due to asymmetric power dynamics and economic dependencies on Western nations. For example, countries reliant on foreign aid or trade partnerships may fear retaliation or strained relations if they push too aggressively for reparative justice. To counteract this fragmentation, the AU’s roadmap prioritizes harmonizing divergent national interests by developing a unified stance that amplifies Africa’s collective voice. This involves extensive consultations with member states, regional blocs like the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and grassroots movements.
Equally important is the AU’s commitment to engaging global partners in the reparations agenda. Recognizing that reparations are inherently transnational, the roadmap emphasizes collaboration with key actors beyond the continent. The African diaspora, often referred to as the “sixth region” of the AU, plays a pivotal role in this effort. Diasporic communities bring unique perspectives, resources, and networks that enrich reparations discourse, particularly in regions like North America and Europe where systemic racism persists. Similarly, partnerships with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) —which has been at the forefront of reparations advocacy through its 10-point plan—offer opportunities for shared strategies and mutual reinforcement. Furthermore, the AU seeks to engage progressive actors in the Global North, to build a coalition that can challenge entrenched resistance from former colonial powers. These alliances are crucial for amplifying demands for reparative justice and ensuring that reparations remain a priority on the international agenda.
The implementation roadmap also underscores the importance of balancing historical accountability with contemporary realities. While reparations must acknowledge the enduring legacies of slavery, colonialism, and apartheid, they should not be confined to backward-looking narratives. Instead, the AU envisions reparations as a forward-looking mechanism for structural transformation. This perspective aligns with traditional African conceptions of justice, which emphasize restoration, reconciliation, and collective well-being over punitive measures. By framing reparations as an investment in equitable futures rather than a mere settlement of past grievances, the AU hopes to counter dismissive critiques from skeptics who argue that reparations are impractical or irrelevant in today’s world.
Conclusion
To counter these challenges, the AU’s roadmap proposes reframing reparations as a forward-looking global agenda. Drawing on traditional African conceptions of justice—such as Ubuntu and restorative practices embedded in post-conflict reconstruction—the AU advocates for reparations that prioritize healing, reconciliation, and structural transformation. The AU’s 2025 theme represents a critical juncture in the quest for reparative justice, synthesizing decades of activism with contemporary geopolitical realities. By building on the Abuja and Accra Proclamations, the AU has positioned itself as a global leader in challenging historical amnesia and structural inequity. However, the success of this agenda hinges on sustained collaboration among African states, the diaspora, and international allies.
Photo Credits: African Union
Bravin Onditi is a Research Assistant at the HORN Institute.
