'Africa's Reparations Call Now a Unified Demand' - President Mahama
MALABO, Equatorial Guinea, July 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report released by Cihan Media Communications underscores growing continental consensus around reparative justice for Africans and people of African descent. This comes as African nations prepare for a major high-level side event during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September 2025, co-sponsored by Ghana and Togo.
As outlined in the report, the call for reparations has transitioned from fragmented advocacy to a unified, coordinated demand, rooted in historical accountability, moral clarity, and Africa's pursuit of sovereignty and dignity.
Delivering a progress report at the 7th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union in Malabo, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, President of Ghana and African Union Champion for Reparations, declared:
"Africa's call for reparative justice is no longer a whisper-it is a unified demand grounded in historical truth, moral clarity, and our unwavering commitment to dignity. As we implement the 2025 Theme of the Year on Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations, we reaffirm our shared resolve to correct historical wrongs through restitution, healing, and holistic systemic transformation."
President Mahama welcomed the African Union Executive Council's recent decision to extend the reparations focus across a decade (2026-2036), describing it as a crucial step toward mobilizing resources and institutionalizing the agenda across member states.
He emphasized that reparations must shift from rhetoric to actionable state policy, calling on every African government to integrate reparations into national development plans, diplomatic priorities, and legal frameworks.
"This undoubtedly affords us, as a Union, the opportunity to sustain the momentum for the realization of this noble cause," he noted.
Restitution, Not Charity: A Strategic Framework
The Cihan report draws on Mahama's call to action, framing reparations as essential to Africa's political and economic self-determination. According to the report, achieving reparative justice will require:
- Financial compensation for forced labor, resource theft, and systemic injustices;
- Technology transfer to bridge industrial and innovation gaps;
- Reparations funds, managed transparently, to support education, cultural restoration, and economic empowerment.
Mahama further stressed the spiritual and cultural dimensions of the cause:
"Restitution to the African, therefore, is restoration of our full human dignity," he said. "We cannot speak of development without identity or speak of unity without acknowledging the erasure that has fractured our heritage."
He also highlighted the importance of partnerships with global allies, particularly the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), in presenting a unified voice at international platforms.
"We call upon all nations, within and beyond Africa, to partner with us in shaping a more just and equitable world for the sons and daughters of the motherland."
Despite resistance from former colonial powers, the report stresses that the call for reparations is not a plea but a rightful demand-a moral and economic imperative to correct centuries of stolen wealth and identity.
Looking Ahead to the United Nations General Assembly
In a significant diplomatic move, Mahama announced that Ghana and Togo will co-sponsor a high-level event at UNGA 2025 to accelerate global recognition and support for Africa's reparations agenda.
"As we do more to correct historical wrongs, we are reasserting our full humanity. We are reaffirming our sovereignty. We are reigniting the flame of dignity that has always burned within the African soul."
About Cihan Media Communications
Cihan Media Communications is a Pan-African strategic communications and insights firm focused on amplifying African narratives, supporting justice and governance campaigns, and delivering data-driven reports that inform policy and public discourse.
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Contact:
www.cihanmediacomms.com
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