Africans Urged for Unified Voice to Secure Justice, Restitution for Wounds of Slavery & Colonialism

Addis Ababa, February 8, 2025 (ENA)-- The 38th African Union (AU) Summit due to convene in Addis Ababa next week has identified "Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparation" as its theme.

In relation to the chosen theme, reparation expert at the Diaspora Africa Forum, Desta Meghoo,  said that Africans must unite behind a cohesive policy and legal framework to effectively address the enduring damages inflicted upon the continent.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, she also stressed the need for a unified African voice to secure justice and restitution for the lasting wounds of slavery and colonialism.

"My ancestors were ripped from the shores of West Africa, taken and dropped in Jamaica," Meghoo related, adding that "for us, the issue of reparation is relevant and important. We have been fighting for many decades, if not a century plus.

So, this particular initiative of reparations will help to bring together both Africa and the diaspora because the whole issue of the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism essentially impacted both the continent and those of us children that were taken away, she stated.

According to Meghoo, although Ethiopia was not colonized colonial policies have impacted her.

''They have to this day impacted Ethiopia. And so when we unpack it in the context of unity and solidarity with the continent of Africa, as the heads of states and the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) and others will be doing throughout this year, Ethiopia can lead, by example, supporting the initiatives of the African Union towards reparations."

Meghoo emphasized that Ethiopia's leadership support to AU reparation initiatives is crucial.

Furthermore, who is also a Pan-African artist, pointed out the importance of unified continental policies for the return of artifacts, rather than disparate national approaches.  

She said that "whether they were stolen from the transatlantic slave trade, or stolen in wars such as what happened here; whether it was Adwa or previous or thereafter, we need to come together in solidarity to develop iron clad policies for the return of our items."

Meghoo acknowledged the ongoing efforts of West African nations, particularly Ghana, in advocating for the return of stolen artifacts; but expressed hope that these efforts would be coordinated through a continental system established by the AU. 

The reparation expert insists that there shouldn't be one policy for Ethiopia, one policy for Ghana, and one policy for Nigeria and so forth.

She outlined a two-pronged approach to achieving meaningful reparations. The first is government-to-government engagement involving policies, laws, and precedents negotiated through the AU. And  the second, raising public awareness.

Finally, the curator of the Pan-African Wing at Addis Ababa University's Institute of Ethiopian Studies, emphasized the importance of balancing development with the preservation of indigenous knowledge and culture, cautioning against mimicking foreign models at the expense of African heritage.