Addis ababa: African Union Commission Chairperson, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has urged Africans and the Caribbean to jointly demand that former colonial powers acknowledge historic crimes, offer meaningful reparations, and dismantle structural and systemic injustice. The call was made during the second Africa-CARICOM Summit, a landmark event that commenced today in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, the summit has gathered African nations, Caribbean states, and the global African diaspora with the aim of strengthening unity, deepening integration, and pursuing reparations and reparatory justice. This initiative is part of a comprehensive transcontinental partnership framework under the theme: ‘Transcontinental Partnership in Pursuit of Reparatory Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations.’
In his address, Youssouf highlighted the significance of the summit, describing it as a pivotal moment and a turning point toward collective aspiration. He reiterated the call for former colonial powers to recognize historical wrongs, to provide meaningful reparations, and to dismantle ongoing injustices. He stressed that the struggle for reparatory justice is not only about addressing past wrongs but also about building a more equitable future.
Youssouf further emphasized that historians will record this moment as the time when Africa and the Caribbean renewed their commitment to honor their ancestors, uplift their descendants, and reclaim their shared destiny in freedom, justice, and unity. He affirmed the African Union’s steadfast support for the Caribbean in the pursuit of reparatory justice, marking a new chapter in the global reparations movement.
The African Union’s theme for 2025, ‘Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations,’ reflects its commitment to this cause. The AU’s strong partnership with CARICOM and its formal adoption of reparations as a flagship project highlight a unified transcontinental effort to pursue justice on the global stage.