At the 2nd Africa–CARICOM Summit, Ghana’s Vice President, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, delivered a powerful address on behalf of former President John Dramani Mahama, the AU Champion for Reparations.
Speaking under the theme “Transcontinental Partnership in Pursuit of Reparatory Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations,” she emphasized that the gathering was more than symbolic.
“This historic summit reaffirms our shared commitment to justice, dignity, and accountability,” she said.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang stressed that reparations must go beyond financial compensation. “Reparations are a multi-dimensional agenda — they include historical acknowledgment, land recovery, cultural renewal, policy reforms, and community empowerment,” she explained.
She further highlighted the importance of the AU Commission of Experts on Reparations and the Global Reparations Fund, set up with CARICOM, to coordinate claims and mobilize resources.
She also called on progressive nations to rally behind the movement, noting, “We must make reparations a global reality through diplomacy, legal frameworks, funding mechanisms, and above all, moral responsibility.”
Looking ahead, she revealed that Ghana and Togo will co-host a high-level reparations event on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September 2025.
With urgency, she reminded participants that the Decade of Reparations is 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.”
Closing her remarks, she echoed the words of Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah: “Forward ever, backward never.”
