The Addis Ababa Declaration of Religious, Moral and Scientific Organizations on Reparations promulgated by the AU has recommended the payment of social and economic reparations for historical exploitation in Africa.
At a two-day workshop organized by the
African Union Commission (AUC) titled “The Role of Faith-Based and Moral Organizations in Advancing the Right of Africans and People of African Descent to Reparations” held on February 27-28, 2025, at the Kuriftu Resort and AU Commission Headquarters.
At the workshop, participants discussed strategies to align religious initiatives with the AU’s 2025 Agenda, which is committed to promoting rights through reparations.
Following the discussions, they signed a Memorandum of Understanding, in which representatives from participating organizations pledged to support the AU’s efforts and engage in joint policy advocacy and community engagement initiatives.
The workshop aimed to strengthen cooperation between the African Union and religious organizations in addressing the right to reparations and historical accountability.
The Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa, said religious communities and religious organizations have a vital role to play in advancing the rights of Africans and people of African descent.
She said reparations have been a long-standing issue for Africans and people of African descent, as historical injustices—including colonial exploitation, the transatlantic slave trade, and systemic discrimination—have left lasting social and economic consequences.
He said Recognizing the need for comprehensive responses, the African Union (AU) has designated 2025 as the “Year of Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Transformation,” an initiative that was officially launched during the 38th AU Summit in February 2025.
The Director of UNESCO for Africa, Dr. Sousan Massoud, East, praised cultural exchange as a way to enhance understanding between cultures and promote healing.
About 70 leaders attended the workshop, including H.E. Amma Adomaa Twum-Amoah, Ambassador of Ghana, H.E. Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Vice-Chairperson of the African Union, and Dr. Sousan Massoud, Director of UNESCO for East Africa.
A key outcome of the workshop was the formal adoption of the Addis Ababa Declaration by Religious, Moral and Scientific Organizations on Reparations proclaimed in the AU, which emphasizes the moral and legal importance of implementing reparations.
The declaration, drafted by the host organizations, acknowledges the profound and lasting impact of slavery, colonialism, and apartheid on Africans and people of African descent.
It also calls for concrete steps to be taken, including the establishment of an AU Committee of Experts on Reparations to develop a unified African policy and implement the African Revenue Action Plan.
The declaration further advocates for the recognition of ecological debt as part of a reparations system, addressing the environmental damage caused by colonial exploitation and resource extraction. The declaration takes a clear stance on identifying the parties responsible for such reparations.
The workshop also agreed that HWPL and CIDO will participate in discussions to establish the African Religious Peace Academy (ARPA), an institution that aims to promote interfaith dialogue and educational programs aimed at religious understanding and peace-building across the continent.
Secondly, there was agreement to explore the establishment of an interfaith body in Africa under the AU framework, which would bring together African religious leaders to collaborate with the AU in advancing the HWPL’s international peace agenda and promoting interfaith solidarity.
Participants also discussed the creation of a peace mediation body to facilitate conflict resolution across African nations, with the aim of providing practical approaches to addressing regional conflicts through dialogue and mediation in partnership with the AU.
One of the co-host groups, HWPL, an international peace organization, expressed interest in providing the necessary platforms for the creation of the aforementioned bodies.
The event was attended by the Culture of Heaven, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), Citizens and Diaspora Organizations (CIDO), African Union Chaplaincy (AU Chaplaincy), African Conference of Traditional and Customary Authorities (COPAB), Conference of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAMPD), Religious Unity and Development Africa (SECAMPD) Initiative (URI).
