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President Mahama has issued a compelling call for global accountability and reparative justice to address the enduring legacies of slavery, colonialism, and neo-colonial exploitation.
In his Africa Day 2025 address, President Mahama reflected on the lasting consequences of centuries of exploitation, dispossession, and structural inequality imposed upon the African continent and its diaspora.
“For too long, the legacy of slavery, colonialism and neo-colonialism has cast a long shadow on the lives and progress of Africans and people of African descent,” Mahama stated. “These historical injustices have left deep scars. Reparations are not merely about financial compensation—they are about acknowledging the profound and enduring damage inflicted upon our people.”
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Reaffirming his commitment to leading the African Union’s reparations campaign, Mahama called for solidarity and collective action from African leaders, institutions, and diaspora communities.
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“As the AU Champion for this critical cause, I am deeply committed to working with you all to achieve this vital objective,” he said.
“We must confront the uncomfortable truths of our past and take concrete steps to rectify these wrongs,” he added.
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Central to President Mahama’s vision is a comprehensive framework for justice that includes formal apologies from former colonial powers and the institutions that profited from African exploitation.
“We seek justice—justice that encompasses a comprehensive range of measures, including official and unequivocal apologies from the nations and institutions responsible for perpetuating these historical injustices,” he declared.
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Reparations refer to the act of making amends for historical injustices, particularly those inflicted through slavery, colonialism, and systemic exploitation. For Africans, the call for reparations has been a persistent demand spanning generations, rooted in the transatlantic slave trade that forcibly removed millions from the continent between the 16th and 19th centuries. This mass enslavement not only stripped individuals of their freedom but also disrupted societies, economies, and cultures across Africa.
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Despite the abolition of slavery, the ramifications have endured, manifesting in structural inequalities and economic disparities that continue to affect African nations and the diaspora. Efforts to address these wrongs have gained momentum, with initiatives like the establishment of a Global Reparation Fund by the African Union and CARICOM in 2023, aiming to seek compensation and formal apologies from former colonial powers.