Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — For many Africans, discussions about reparations have long been seen as abstract, disconnected from the urgent struggles of unemployment, inflation, and underfunded public services. Yet, at the 38th African Union (AU) Summit, leaders made it clear: reparations are not just about history–they are about the present and future. Under the theme “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations,” the AU has brought reparations to the forefront of continental policy, demanding justice for centuries of enslavement, colonialism, and economic exploitation.
For Liberia, a country founded by freed African Americans, the reparations debate is especially relevant. On Saturday, February 15, President Joseph N. Boakai reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to the cause, linking it to the nation’s unique historical role in African liberation. That same day, Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley delivered a fiery speech that energized the summit, urging African and Caribbean nations to seize this moment to push for reparatory justice on the global stage.
Reparations Agenda
In February 2023, during the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Heads of State declared 2025 as the Year of “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations.” The theme highlights the enduring impact of colonization, trans-Atlantic slavery, and systemic discrimination on global inequality and Africa’s underdevelopment.
The reparations agenda aims to address historical injustices while tackling contemporary issues like systemic racism, economic exclusion, and Africa’s marginalization in global decision-making. It is also a call for unity among Africans and the African diaspora to advocate for justice, equity, and redress. However, the theme’s successful implementation requires clear strategies, institutional coordination, and robust partnerships among civil society organizations (CSOs), Regional Economic Communities (RECs), governments, and diaspora groups.
Beyond financial compensation
Reparations are often discussed in terms of financial compensation, but the AU has framed them as part of a broader strategy to address economic injustice and structural inequalities that persist today. Despite Africa’s vast natural resources, many of its nations remain economically dependent on foreign aid and locked into exploitative trade relationships. Meanwhile, wealth generated from Africa’s past exploitation continues to benefit Western nations and financial institutions.
In its 2025 roadmap, the AU is advancing several key mechanisms to institutionalize reparations as a flagship initiative. The organization aims to establish an African Committee of Experts on Reparations, a Global Reparations Fund, and an African-Caribbean Joint Mechanism on Reparative Justice, strengthening ties with CARICOM and the African diaspora worldwide. Additionally, the AU seeks legal redress through an international Reference Group of Legal Experts and the formulation of an African Common Position on Reparations. Through these efforts, the AU plans to amplify reparations advocacy at international forums, including the UN, while securing commitments from former colonial powers and institutions that benefited from African exploitation.
Beyond financial compensation, the AU’s reparations agenda emphasizes restitution of stolen cultural heritage, economic empowerment, and racial healing. The plan includes initiatives such as capacity-building programs, academic fellowships, and partnerships with civil society to sustain grassroots advocacy. The AU’s ultimate goal is to unite global African communities in a collective demand for justice, while reshaping global structures that have historically marginalized African nations and people of African descent.
A ‘moral obligation’ for Liberia
In a closed session on Saturday, February 15, Liberian President Joseph N. Boakai reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to the reparations movement, citing the nation’s unique historical role as a home for freed slaves and a champion of African liberation. Meanwhile, Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley delivered a searing address that brought the summit hall to its feet, calling for an end to the economic and political inequalities that continue to hold back African-descended people.
In his first AU address since taking office, President Boakai underscored the deep historical scars left by slavery and colonial exploitation. He made the case for reparations not just as a financial remedy but as a necessary step for reconciliation, healing, and the restoration of dignity for African people.
“Liberia firmly believes in the importance of reparations as a critical first step toward addressing the lasting legacy and impacts of these historical injustices,” Boakai stated.
As the first African republic founded by freed African Americans, Liberia, he argued, has a moral obligation to champion reparatory justice. He also took the opportunity to thank the AU for its support during Liberia’s 2023 elections and sought continued backing for the country’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council in 2026-2027.
Liberia’s position aligns with the AU’s broader mission of advocating for historical redress while ensuring Africa has a stronger voice in global governance.
Mottley pushes for concrete action
If Boakai’s remarks reinforced Liberia’s historical leadership on reparations, Mia Mottley’s speech was a thunderous rallying cry for unity and action. She framed the reparations fight as both a moral and economic imperative, urging African leaders to move beyond rhetoric and into tangible policies that strengthen ties with the diaspora.
“I stand here, clothed in the spirit of the battles of Adwa, conscious that it was that battle, fought within 24 hours, that shook the confidence of the powers of Europe but inspired the people of Africa and the children of the African diaspora,” she declared, invoking Ethiopia’s historic victory against colonial forces as a reminder of what Africa and its diaspora could achieve through unity.
Mottley stressed that reparations must go beyond symbolic apologies to include economic justice and structural changes that allow African nations and the diaspora to reclaim their rightful place in global affairs.
“We must ensure that the very future of our people is different and will no longer be determined by intermediaries who used the Middle Passage to see our people at the bottom of the ocean floor of the Atlantic or toiling in the fields of the plantations of the Caribbean,” she said.
She also highlighted ongoing global injustices, from climate change to economic disparities, pointing out that Africa and its diaspora remain at the mercy of financial and political systems that were designed to marginalize them.
The Barbadian leader did not shy away from challenging African and Caribbean governments themselves, urging them to remove the structural barriers that prevent free movement and economic cooperation between their people.
“The fact that our people must beg for transit visas to move across the world is unacceptable. To travel east or west, we are forced to go north. This is not right. It is within the power of African and Caribbean leaders to change this, to build air and sea bridges that guarantee we control our own destiny,” she implored.
Her words resonated deeply, not only because of their historical significance but because of the urgent tone in which she delivered them. As she concluded, delegates rose to their feet in unanimous appreciation–an uncommon moment of unity and enthusiasm at an AU Summit.
The AU’s call for reparations is not new, but this summit made it clear that the demand is gaining momentum and urgency. With leaders like Boakai and Mottley pushing for both historical justice and economic cooperation, Africa and its diaspora may finally be on the verge of reclaiming a shared destiny.
The coming months will put these commitments to the test. The first in-person CARICOM-Africa Union Summit, set for September 2025 in Addis Ababa, will be a key moment for turning words into action. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is a regional organization established in 1973 to promote economic integration and cooperation in the Caribbean. Additionally, Mottley will lead a high-powered Barbadian delegation to Liberia in May to commemorate the 160th anniversary of the Township of Crozierville, a community founded by Barbadian migrants.
“How can a continent that holds 40% of the world’s minerals not be at the forefront of securing the planet’s stability,” Mottley wonders. “How can a region that represents a third of the world’s nations not act with singular purpose to redefine global governance?
“My friends, we must secure this victory. By 2050, one in every four people on the planet will be from this continent or its diaspora. Our leaders have a moral imperative to ensure unity. The spirit of Adwa demands that we recognize our potential, that we act in unity despite the forces that seek to divide us. If we fail to achieve this unity, the fault lies not outside, but within.
“Some may call this the dream of a naive and romantic daughter of Africa. But if that is the case, I would rather be naive and hopeful than cynical and paralyzed by the power of others. Our history proves that unity is possible. We fought apartheid together. We liberated southern Africa together. And today, we must forge a new path together.”
