The African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African Continent. It was officially launched in 2002 as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999).
AU THEME OF THE YEAR 2025: Theme: “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations” The African Union (AU) has designated 2025 as the “Year of Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations.” This initiative underscores the AU’s commitment to addressing historical injustices, including the trans-Atlantic slave trade, colonialism, apartheid, and genocide. It builds on decades of advocacy and collaboration, aiming to foster unity and establish mechanisms for reparatory justice on a global scale.
THEME OF THE YEAR: ‘‘JUSTICE FOR AFRICANS AND PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT THROUGH REPARATIONS’’
The Heads of States and Governments of the AU, at the 37th Ordinary Assembly of the Union held on 17th – 18th February 2024 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, decided pursuant to Assembly/AU/Dec.884(XXXVII) that the theme of the Year for 2025 will be ‘‘Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations.’’ The theme of the year for 2025 on Reparations was a proposal from the Accra 2023 Reparations Conference. In the continuing pursuit of justice and equity, the conversation about reparations has emerged as a critical and transformative dialogue that requires the collective attention and action of Africans and all people of African descent. The scope of this conversation goes beyond historical injustices and into the current fabric of societies around the world. The complexities of addressing past wrongs, whether they stem from colonialism, trans-Atlantic enslavement, apartheid or systemic discrimination, necessitate a thorough examination and strategic approach.
Having Reparations for Africans and the People of African Descent offers the AU the opportunity to take leadership on the Africa Reparations Agenda, as well as bring together the African citizenry and the African diaspora to build a common and united front for the cause of justice and payment of reparations to Africans for historical crimes and mass atrocities committed against Africans and people of African Descent, including colonization, apartheid, and genocide. Additionally, reparations as the theme of the year will further drive momentum generated by the different initiatives and activities over the years, and for the Commission to promote an active AU-wide engagement on the subject of reparations, in close coordination with the AU Member States, RECs, AU Organs including ECOSOCC, the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, African Court on Human and People’s Rights, and the African Union Commission on International Law, the Pan African Parliament, African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, and the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption, as well as the United Nations system and other relevant partners.
Finally, the theme of Year for 2025 on Reparations will support the operationalisation of the reparations for transatlantic-enslavement, colonialism and apartheid as a Flagship Programme of the Union.
RESOURCES:
Decisions, Declarations and Resolution of the Thirty-Seventh Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union (Para 12 of Assembly/AU/Dec.884(XXXVII))
https://ncobra.org/resources/pdf/TheAbujaProclamation.pdf
https://www.un.org/en/conferences/racism/durban2001
https://au.int/en/pressreleases/20211202/continental-experts-workshop-re…
https://au.int/en/decisions/accra-proclamation-reparations