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Zimbabwe joins African push for reparations from Britain
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Zimbabwe has joined other African nations in calling on Britain to provide reparations for "historic colonial crimes," pledging solidarity at the ongoing Second African Union-Caribbean Community Summit in Ethiopia.
The summit, held under the theme Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations, brought together heads of state, diplomats, and civil society organisations from across Africa and the Caribbean to advance a unified agenda for reparatory justice and inclusive development.
Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said the issue of reparatory justice is not only a moral obligation but also a political and economic necessity. "We must establish a transcontinental partnership framework that unites Africa, the Caribbean, and the global African diaspora in pursuit of justice and empowerment," he said.
Zimbabwe endorsed the creation of a joint reparations mechanism aimed at harmonising strategies and presenting a unified global case. Ziyambi stressed that reparations should go beyond financial compensation to include formal apologies, debt cancellation, and targeted development programmes for historically marginalised communities.
The African Union has called on former colonial powers to provide "meaningful reparations" for centuries of exploitation of African people, land, and resources, pointing to systemic injustices rooted in 19th-century imperialism. Caribbean nations attending the summit have already demanded trillions of dollars in compensation for slavery.
The summit also addressed global governance and equitable representation, including Africa's call for permanent seats in key decision-making bodies such as the United Nations Security Council and the G20. "Zimbabwe stands firm in its belief that Africa must be heard and represented where decisions affecting our future are made," Ziyambi said.
The summit concluded with a renewed commitment to strengthen Afro-Caribbean ties, advance the push for reparatory justice, and ensure that the voices of Africans and people of African descent are central in shaping a fairer global order.
The summit, held under the theme Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations, brought together heads of state, diplomats, and civil society organisations from across Africa and the Caribbean to advance a unified agenda for reparatory justice and inclusive development.
Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said the issue of reparatory justice is not only a moral obligation but also a political and economic necessity. "We must establish a transcontinental partnership framework that unites Africa, the Caribbean, and the global African diaspora in pursuit of justice and empowerment," he said.
Zimbabwe endorsed the creation of a joint reparations mechanism aimed at harmonising strategies and presenting a unified global case. Ziyambi stressed that reparations should go beyond financial compensation to include formal apologies, debt cancellation, and targeted development programmes for historically marginalised communities.
The African Union has called on former colonial powers to provide "meaningful reparations" for centuries of exploitation of African people, land, and resources, pointing to systemic injustices rooted in 19th-century imperialism. Caribbean nations attending the summit have already demanded trillions of dollars in compensation for slavery.
The summit also addressed global governance and equitable representation, including Africa's call for permanent seats in key decision-making bodies such as the United Nations Security Council and the G20. "Zimbabwe stands firm in its belief that Africa must be heard and represented where decisions affecting our future are made," Ziyambi said.
The summit concluded with a renewed commitment to strengthen Afro-Caribbean ties, advance the push for reparatory justice, and ensure that the voices of Africans and people of African descent are central in shaping a fairer global order.
Source - BBC
