Story by Oleen Ndori, Foreign Desk Editor
THE year 2025 marks 62 years since the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU), with this year’s commemorations spotlighting reparative justice for historical injustices faced by African people and their descendants across the globe.
The continental body has designated 2025 as the “Year of Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations”, reaffirming its commitment to confronting and addressing the legacies of slavery, colonialism, apartheid, and genocide.
This renewed focus is rooted in the AU’s continued alignment with the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted in 2001 at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, convened by the United Nations in South Africa.
The Durban Declaration formally acknowledged the enduring trauma and structural inequalities caused by the transatlantic slave trade and other forms of racial oppression, while affirming the right to justice for victims and their descendants.
In November 2022, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) passed a Resolution on Africa’s Reparations Agenda, specifically addressing the rights of Africans in the Diaspora and people of African descent globally.
The resolution reaffirmed the Durban framework as central to Africa’s pursuit of justice and equity in global affairs.
“This is a pivotal moment for the continent. The call for reparations is not merely about compensation, but about recognition, restoration, and the reaffirmation of African dignity and sovereignty,” An AU representative said.
As the AU commemorates 62 years of continental solidarity, the theme of reparations is influencing policy discussions and intergovernmental engagements across Africa, particularly in the context of intra-African cooperation, human rights, and diplomatic advocacy on the global stage.
The Organisation of African Unity was established on 25 May 1963, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with the founding vision of advancing unity, self-determination, and liberation across the continent.
Now as the African Union, its focus on justice seeks to cement those gains by confronting the unresolved injustices that have continued to affect generations of African people.
This year’s Africa Day celebrations are not only reflective but strategic, laying the groundwork for how African states and institutions can leverage international platforms to push for redress and reaffirm the continent’s voice in shaping fair and equitable world order.
