Addis ababa: The recent Second Africa-CARICOM Summit in Addis Ababa marked a historic turning point in transcontinental relations, potentially reshaping how Global South nations collaborate on issues of justice, development, and collective sovereignty.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, the summit convened under the powerful theme “Transcontinental Partnership in Pursuit of Reparatory Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations,” representing more than a diplomatic ceremony. It signified a fundamental reimagining of Africa-Caribbean relations beyond colonial constructs toward a future built on mutual interests and shared historical experiences.
The gathering built upon the foundation laid by the first summit held in 2021, but with heightened urgency and more concrete mechanisms for collaboration. Angolan President Joo Manuel Gon§alves Louren§o, chairing the African Union, articulated the summit’s aim to “transform past injustices into solidarity, cooperation, and justice.” This sentiment echoed throughout the proceedings, reflecting both regions’ determination to leverage their collective strength in addressing the enduring legacies of slavery, colonialism, and ongoing structural inequalities in the global system.
The Africa-CARICOM relationship is deeply rooted in history, connected by the forced migration of millions of Africans during the transatlantic slave trade that shaped the Caribbean’s demographic landscape. Despite this connection, post-colonial relationships between the regions have often been mediated through former colonial powers and limited by geographical distance.
The institutionalization of Africa-CARICOM summits represents a conscious effort to overcome these constraints and establish direct South-South partnerships based on shared aspirations rather than colonial inheritance.
The choice of Addis Ababa as host city carries symbolic weight, positioning the African Union headquarters as the center of this renewed partnership. Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali emphasized the deliberateness of this partnership, noting that “Africa and the Caribbean bring complementary strengths, and together these are multiplied.” His reference to Ethiopia’s philosophy of “Medemer,” meaning “coming together,” aptly captured the summit’s spirit, a belief in progress through connection, culture, innovation, knowledge, and collective effort.
The summit’s focus on reparatory justice represented a maturation of both regions’ longstanding but previously parallel efforts toward addressing historical wrongs. The CARICOM Reparations Commission, established in 2013, has pioneered a comprehensive approach through its Ten-Point Plan for Reparatory Justice, which has inspired similar movements globally, including the National African American Reparations Commission in the United States. Similarly, the African Union’s designation of 2025’s flagship theme as “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations” signaled the continent’s institutional commitment to this agenda.
Dr. Carla Barnett, Secretary-General of CARICOM, framed the summit as a “homecoming for the Caribbean, reconnecting people separated by ocean, colonialism, and economic systems, but united through shared heritage.”
Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Terrance Drew, incoming President of CARICOM, articulated the moral imperative behind the reparations movement: “Repentance alone is no longer sufficient; demands for reparations are legitimate in addressing structural inequalities.”
Beyond the moral and historical dimensions, the summit demonstrated practical commitment to building institutional architecture that sustains cooperation beyond symbolic gatherings. The adoption of a Joint Communiqu© articulating shared development priorities and global policy positions created a roadmap for collaboration. The establishment of an African Caribbean Joint Mechanism on Reparative Justice provided an institutional vehicle for maintaining momentum.
The presence of leaders from multilateral financial institutions signaled recognition that financial architecture reform must be part of any meaningful reparations discussion. Mr. Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to the African Union, highlighted the compounded injustices facing both regions.
The health sector collaboration exemplified through the Health Development Partnership for Africa and the Caribbean demonstrated how functional cooperation could yield immediate benefits for both regions. Similarly, trade initiatives like the Afrexim Bank office in the Caribbean and the Afro-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum created tangible economic pathways.
The Second Africa-CARICOM Summit represents a paradigm shift in South-South cooperation, moving beyond traditional economic development frameworks to embrace a comprehensive approach that addresses historical justice, cultural reconnection, and global structural reform. By centering reparations within their partnership, both regions have positioned moral justice as the foundation for future collaboration.
The summit’s emphasis on unity creates unprecedented potential for advancing shared interests. As Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed noted, despite adversity, “both regions now choose to face challenges together, defining their own solutions and future.”
As the implementation phase begins, the world will watch whether this ambitious partnership can transform historical grievances into a future of shared prosperity and dignity. The journey from Addis Ababa has undoubtedly created a foundation for transformation that could redefine transcontinental relations for generations to come.