Story by Fungai Jachi
THE 45th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Executive Council convened in Accra, Ghana, has agreed on a common position regarding reparations on member states by former colonial states.
In November 2023, and as part of the quest for reparatory justice, and seeking to close the historical chapter of enslavement, colonialism and neo-colonialism, the AU, and the Government of Ghana convened the Accra Reparations Conference.
It gathered together the modern global African reparations movement, including significant participation from the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM), as well as civil society veterans from the diaspora and Africa.
Here, leaders called for reparations of displaced and disadvantaged people and countries.
The call continues to gather momentum, and the ongoing meeting of the African Union Executive Council in Accra has noted the need to ensure the process is expedited.
“The Executive Council approved the Concept Note and the Roadmap of the African Union theme for 2025, which is, “Building a united front to advance the causes of justice and payment for reparations for Africa”.
“The theme is very befitting as it resonates well with the fact that the issue of justice and payments for reparations for Africa is long-overdue. Through the theme, the AU intends to enhance advocacy for an African common position on reparations,” said the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ambassador Frederick Shava.
The meeting also looked into major continental plans for development.
“The Executive Council adopted the structures of the African Humanitarian Agency (AfHA) and the African Inclusive Markets Excellence Centre (AIMEC). It is envisaged that the African Humanitarian Agency, which will be hosted by Uganda, will guide and coordinate humanitarian actions across Africa to respond to various natural disasters including droughts, floods and cyclones, internally displaced persons due to conflicts.
“On the other hand, the Africa Inclusive Markets Excellence Centre, to be based in Tunisia, will become the official pan-African public-private platform on policy, programming, and partnerships for inclusive business and inclusive markets,” said Ambassador Shava.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Ambassador Shava also held fruitful discussions with Zambia, Algeria, and South Sudan to explore further areas of cooperation.
The meeting also discussed the successful conduct of the Pan African Parliament Bureau elections held in March this year, in which Zimbabwe’s Chief Fortune Charumbira emerged victorious.
