Mahama pushes for reparatory justice for Africans at 38th AU Assembly

President John Dramani Mahama has underscored the importance of reparatory justice for Africans and people of African descent, calling it a vital step in restoring their dignity, rights, and well-being.

Speaking at the 38th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly on Saturday, 15 February 2025, President Mahama echoed the AU’s 2025 theme, which centres on reparations for historical injustices.

The 2025 AU theme of the year is, therefore, a call to galvanise efforts towards reparatory justice. It is an appeal to ensure that the dignity, rights, and well-being of Africans and their descendants are fully restored.

Mahama emphasised that reparations extend beyond financial compensation to include restitution, rehabilitation, and assurances against the recurrence of past abuses.

Reparations involve not only financial compensation but also restitution, rehabilitation, and guarantees of non-repetition for the abuse of fellow human beings. It is also about truth-telling, historical accountability, and responsibility to those who have been marginalised for centuries.

He further emphasised that the call for reparations must also encompass expanding educational opportunities, reclaiming cultural heritage, and elevating the voices of Africans and the diaspora on the global stage.

The call for reparations extends beyond financial redress to addressing structural inequalities, ensuring educational opportunities, reclaiming cultural heritage, and magnifying the voices of Africa and diaspora communities on the global stage.

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