On Africa Day 2025, President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana serving as the African Union’s (AU) Champion for Reparatory Justice delivered a compelling message emphasizing the continent’s pursuit of justice and equity. This aligns with the AU’s designation of 2025 as the “Year of Reparations: Justice for Africans & People of African Descent.”
African Union.
In his address, President Mahama underscored that mere apologies for historical injustices such as slavery, colonialism, and neocolonialism are insufficient. He advocated for tangible economic reparations, including debt relief and equitable trade practices, to address the enduring impacts of these injustices. He stated, “Mere apologies would not be enough to address the lasting damage from slavery, colonialism and neocolonialism,” emphasizing the need for concrete economic actions to rectify ongoing challenges .
President Mahama also highlighted the importance of providing resources and knowledge to empower African nations towards sustainable development. He called for a united continental front to demand reparative justice, asserting that such efforts would enable Africa to participate fully and fairly in the global economy for the first time.
The AU’s 2025 theme aims to position reparations and historical redress within frameworks for peacebuilding, development, and global advocacy, fostering dialogues that bridge past struggles with future aspirations .
African Union.
