Some African leaders at the inaugural Accra Reparations Conference are urging compensation and redress for the trans-Atlantic slave trade's crimes, asserting that its enduring impact on African societies and the Diaspora includes the loss of self-esteem, dignity, and identity. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo emphasized the devastating effects of slavery on Africa's progress, endorsing the long-overdue call for reparations, acknowledging that money alone cannot fully repair the enduring consequences.
The conference, co-organized by Ghana and the African Union, aims to foster dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and actionable strategies on addressing historical injustices and pursuing reparatory justice. The discussions also highlight the need for European nations involved in the slave trade to apologize to Africa. The conference explores legal and moral grounds for reparations, models of reparatory justice, and mechanisms for truth-telling, acknowledgement, reconciliation, and healing. It aspires to develop an action plan for sustainable reparatory justice in Africa.
The estimated 10-12 million enslaved Africans transported during the trans-Atlantic slave trade faced injustices, and leaders like Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat emphasize correcting historical wrongs collaboratively. The call for reparations is framed as a pursuit of justice to break the cycle of Africa's impoverishment.
President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley of Barbados express support for actions taken at the conference, emphasizing the importance of collective efforts in championing Africa's cause for shared prosperity and addressing racial discrimination globally.
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