Accra: President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday praised the African Union (AU) Executive Council for their decision to extend the theme of the Year on Reparations to a Decade on Reparations, spanning from 2026 to 2036, with Ghana set to lead as the Champion. This marks a significant step in the AU's efforts to address the historical injustices of slavery, colonialism, and neo-colonial exploitation.
According to Ghana News Agency, President Mahama, who serves as the African Union Champion for Reparations, delivered these remarks during his address at the opening of the AU 13th High-Level Dialogue on Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance in Accra. He emphasized the ongoing impacts of slavery, colonial exploitation, systemic racism, and economic subjugation, noting that these issues remain evident today in the division of African people by arbitrary borders, financial hardships from unjust global systems, and fragile governance systems.
President Mahama stated that the Accra gathering aimed to not only examine the past but also to forge a better future for Africa, with a focus on agency, sovereignty, and dignity. He highlighted Ghana's historical and current role in advocating for African dignity, unity, and self-determination, inspired by the Pan-African ideals of Ghana's first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
He further commended the AU Executive Council for approving the terms of reference for the African Union Commission of Experts on Reparations and the African Union Reference Group of Legal Experts on Reparations. President Mahama stressed the importance of empowering these bodies with resources and mandates to lead the pursuit of truth, justice, and restitution, urging that these initiatives not remain mere declarations but become active mandates for change.
President Mahama called for legally binding frameworks across all member states to protect Africa's civic space, emphasizing the need to safeguard rights to organize, protest, and participate, as well as preserving press freedom and the voices of youth, women, and marginalized groups. He highlighted the importance of political education as a pillar of state-building and encouraged integrating political and civic education into school curriculums to combat civic disengagement.
He concluded by urging that the Dialogue be remembered as a significant moment of continental reawakening, calling for bold pursuit of justice for past, present, and future generations and emphasizing that justice must inform the creation of institutions, policies, and leadership.
