Ghana and Togo will co-host a high-level reparations event during the UN General Assembly in September 2025, Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang announced at the Africa-CARICOM Summit.
Speaking at the 2nd Africa–CARICOM Summit in Addis Ababa, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang delivered remarks on behalf of former President John Dramani Mahama, who serves as the African Union Champion for Reparations. The summit operated under the theme “Transcontinental Partnership in Pursuit of Reparatory Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations”.
The Vice President emphasized that reparations extend far beyond financial compensation. “Reparations are a multi-dimensional agenda — they include historical acknowledgment, land recovery, cultural renewal, policy reforms, and community empowerment,” she explained.
Her address highlighted the significance of the AU Commission of Experts on Reparations and the Global Reparations Fund, established in partnership with CARICOM to coordinate claims and mobilize resources for the reparations movement.
The announcement builds on President Mahama’s earlier commitment made at the AU mid-year meeting, where he announced that Ghana and Togo will co-sponsor a high-level event at the UN General Assembly in September 2025 to accelerate global recognition of Africa’s reparations agenda.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang called on progressive nations worldwide to support the movement, stating that “We must make reparations a global reality through diplomacy, legal frameworks, funding mechanisms, and above all, moral responsibility.”
The timing aligns with the African Union’s designation of 2025 as the year for “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations”. This flagship theme represents a unified continental approach to addressing historical injustices stemming from slavery and colonialism.
The Vice President stressed the urgency of current efforts, describing the Decade of Reparations as a unique opportunity. “This is our decisive window to deliver tangible outcomes. Reparations are not only about the past; they are about shaping a just, humane, and equitable future.”
The Ghana-Togo collaboration represents a significant diplomatic initiative to bring African reparations demands to the global stage. The UN General Assembly event will provide a high-profile platform to engage world leaders on reparations issues affecting millions of people across Africa and the diaspora.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang concluded her remarks by invoking Ghana’s founding father, saying “Forward ever, backward never” — words from Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah that underscore the determination to advance the reparations agenda.
The Africa-CARICOM partnership has strengthened significantly in recent years, with both regions recognizing shared experiences of historical exploitation and the need for coordinated responses to achieve reparatory justice.
The September 2025 UN event will likely focus on building international support for reparations frameworks, securing funding mechanisms, and establishing legal pathways for addressing historical wrongs against African peoples worldwide.
This diplomatic initiative positions Ghana and Togo as leading voices in the global reparations movement, potentially influencing how the international community addresses historical injustices and their contemporary impacts.
