Africa–Caribbean Summit Embodies Inclusive Multilateralism: UN Official

Addis Ababa, September 7, 2025 (POA) – The Second Africa–Caribbean Summit opened this morning in Addis Ababa with a strong call for unity, justice, and multilateral cooperation.

Speaking at the opening session of the Summit today, Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the #AU, described the summit as “rich in historical significance,” noting that it brings together, in person for the first time, leaders of Africa and the Caribbean.

He stressed that the gathering offers a unique opportunity to strengthen ancestral and cultural ties while advancing new areas of collaboration in trade, investment, tourism, science, and technology.

Onanga-Anyanga underlined that the summit reflects the African Union’s enduring commitment to multilateralism, which he described as “alive, embodied in the values and works of organizations such as the AU, and aligned with the UN Charter to advance peace, security, and international cooperation.”

 

Recalling UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s call for a more inclusive multilateral system that draws on the expertise of all humanity, he said the Africa–Caribbean partnership exemplifies this vision of a “networked, inclusive, and people-centered multilateralism.”

The envoy also welcomed the Benin government’s initiative to establish legal pathways for descendants of Sub-Saharan Africans to formally reconnect with their ancestral homelands, describing it as an emblematic step with immense potential to strengthen ties between Africa, the Caribbean, and the wider diaspora.

Crucially, he highlighted the summit’s role in advancing the transcontinental partnership for reparative justice. He cited Guterres’s remarks at the African Union Assembly earlier this year, noting that Africa and the Caribbean continue to live with the legacies of “two colossal compounding injustices” — the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism.

“Decolonization and independence did not fully free nations from structures of exploitation and decades of under-investment,” Onanga-Anyanga said, urging the establishment of frameworks for reparative justice. He also stressed the urgent need to reform global institutions, including the UN Security Council, to address historical imbalances and reflect today’s realities.

Concluding his remarks, Onanga-Anyanga affirmed that the Africa–Caribbean Summit provides a platform to shape a future of shared prosperity, dignity, and security, anchored in solidarity, technological innovation, and strengthened South–South cooperation.