GHANA | President Nana Addo sets the stage for wider African discussion of Reparationss

ACCRA, GHANA, November 14, 2023 - The inaugural Accra Reparations Conference (ARC) which opened  at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra  on Tuesday November 14, witnessed a groundbreaking moment led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. 

African leaders, alongside representatives from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), emphasized the need for reparation and restitution for the heinous crimes of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. 

President Akufo-Addo, spearheading the conference, highlighted the grave impact of the slave trade on Africa's economic, cultural, and psychological development, stating that the effects are still felt today. 

He asserted that reparations for Africa and its diaspora are not only necessary but long overdue, clarifying that the demand for reparations is a call for justice, not charity.

The entire period of slavery, the President noted, meant that Africa’s progress, economically, culturally, and psychologically was stifled.

"No amount of money can restore the damage caused by the transatlantic slave trade and its consequences. But surely, this is a matter that the world must confront and can no longer ignore," Akufo-Addo said told the reparations conference with African leaders in Accra.

“Reparations for Africa and the African Diaspora are long overdue,” he stated.

President Akufo-Addo stressed however that no amount of money can restore the damage caused by the transatlantic slave trade because its consequences will be felt for many centuries.

“But surely, this is a matter that the world must confront and can no longer ignore.

“And even before these discussions on reparations conclude, the entire continent of Africa deserves an apology from European nations who were involved in the slave trade for the crimes and damage that has been caused to the population, psyche, image, and character of the African the world over.

“The call for reparation is not a plea for arms, but a call for justice,” he said.

"Even before these discussions on reparations conclude, the entire continent of Africa deserves a formal apology from the European nations involved in the slave trade," he added.

Akufo-Addo called on Africa to work together with the Caribbean to advance reparations, labelling it a "valid demand for justice."

Describing slavery and colonialism as "Africa's dark phase", President of the Comoros and African Union Chairperson Azali Assoumani said the impact still "wreaks havoc in our population".

The conference, a collaborative effort between Ghana and the African Union (AU), aimed to foster dialogue and develop strategies to address historical injustices against Africans and people of African descent. 

It focused on exploring legal and moral grounds for reparations, various models of reparatory justice, and mechanisms for truth-telling, acknowledgment, reconciliation, and healing.

Chair of the AU Commission, Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, stressed that Africa has endured slavery, colonization, and racial discrimination for too long, and it's time to collectively rectify these injustices. 

AU Chairman Mr. Azali Assoumani echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that reparations are crucial for transforming Africa’s impoverishment into shared prosperity.

South African President Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa, through a representative, expressed support for the ARC's objectives, underscoring the importance of unity in advocating for Africa's interests. 

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley also spoke, highlighting the role of racial discrimination and segregation as barriers to human progress and urging collaboration between African and Caribbean leaders to overcome these challenges.

The ARC, through these discussions, aims to develop an action plan for sustainable reparatory justice in Africa, taking into account historical contexts, current challenges, and future prospects. 

The leaders' unified stance at the ARC marks a significant step towards seeking justice and reparations for the atrocities of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

While the debate over reparations for slavery is still developing, the restoration of stolen treasures and artefacts has steadily advanced.

Nigeria is in the process of bringing back thousands of 16th to 18th century metal plaques, sculptures and objects that were looted from the ancient Kingdom of Benin and found their way into museums and with art collectors across the US and Europe.

Many of the artefacts were originally taken in 1897, when a British military expedition attacked and destroyed Benin City.

Nigeria's neighbour Benin last year inaugurated an exhibition of its artworks and treasures returned by France after two years of negotiations.

The following is a report from Africa News surrounding Nana Akufo-Addo's presentation: