Cape Town / Johannesburg, South Africa

Session 2 Summary: European Responses to Colonial Injustice, Trends, Debates, and Recommendations! Moderated by Ms. Annah Moyo-Kupeta, Executive Director of the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, Session 2 explored current European responses to colonial injustice, with a particular focus on #Germany. The discussion addressed how #Europe is confronting its #colonial past and what practical steps are being taken or need to be taken toward meaningful reparatory justice. Key reflections highlighted the 2023 establishment of the Permanent EU Forum on Reparatory Justice, which acknowledged the EU’s inadequate efforts to address the enduring effects of colonialism. The forum also made important links between reparatory justice and global issues such as #climatechange, stressing the need for a comprehensive, systemic response to historical harm. Contributions from Mr. Makmid Kamara emphasised the need for strategic, organised advocacy, encouraging African voices to engage partners from a place of strength rather than despair. He also stressed the importance of inclusive, socially grounded education and digital literacy as tools for building a more just society. Ms. Johanna Lober of the Berghof Foundation shared targeted recommendations for civil society, including: using policy entry points to foreground reparatory justice; fostering public debate to counter regressive narratives; aligning demands for reparations with calls for equitable global partnerships; ensuring restitution includes land, knowledge, and dignity; advocating for binding international commitments; and strengthening transnational coalitions between African, Afro-descendant, and European civil society actors. The session reinforced that reparatory justice must go beyond symbolic gestures, focusing instead on structural transformation, social inclusion, and long-term accountability. #AfricaDay2025 #LetsTalkHumanRights

Session 1 Summary: Unpacking Reparative Justice in Africa and the Diaspora The roundtable opened with powerful remarks from Ms. Annah Moyo-Kupeta, Executive Director of the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, and Mr. William Carew, Head of Secretariat at the African Union’s Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC), setting the tone for a day of meaningful dialogue on reparative justice. Session 1, moderated by Mr. Makmid Kamara, focused on the practicalities and agency of reparations as a critical part of justice, human rights, and economic cooperation. In alignment with the African Union’s 2025 theme and in commemoration of Africa Day, speakers from the AU, civil society, and academic institutions explored legal frameworks, historical redress, and the path toward equitable Africa–Europe relations. The session continued with a special feature, “Reflections on the Reparation Movement from the Caribbean Perspective,”delivered by Prof. Sonjah Stanley Niaah of the University of the West Indies. Her reflections provided crucial context from the Caribbean experience, underscoring the global nature of the reparations movement and deepening the connection between Africa and its diaspora. #AfricaDay2025 #LetsTalkHumanRights

To mark #AfricaDay2025, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom and the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation are hosting a roundtable on reparations as a vital part of justice, human rights, and economic cooperation. In line with the African Union’s 2025 theme, the event aims to explore redress for colonial injustice, structural inequality, and ways to strengthen Africa–Europe relations. Speakers include experts from the African Union, civil society, and academia, with discussions on legal frameworks, international examples, and strategies for reparative justice across Africa and the diaspora. #LetsTalkHumanRights