ETHIOPIA: Faith communities set to act after Addis-Ababa convening on for reparative justice for Africa
Session ongoing for the Faith and ethical communities
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
The Faith and ethical communities from Africa and the diaspora have committed to concrete actions following a recently high-level convening in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia which focused on reparative justice for the African nations and people of African descent.
According to a statement shared by Fr. Stephen Okello, the Liaison Officer for the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) at the African Union (AU), and a member of the Institute of the Consolata Missionaries (IMC), it is time for implementation and global action.
The statement read in part: “As the conference concluded, speakers emphasised that the adoption of the Addis Ababa Declaration on Reparations is only the beginning. The organising bodies committed to continued engagement with the African Union, UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), the Government of Ghana, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), policymakers, global institutions, and grassroots movements to translate resolutions into action.”
The meeting that brought together approximately 100 participants including high-level officials, religious leaders, scholars, and human rights advocates, emphasized the moral obligation of faith-based institutions to advocate for reparations and policy reforms that promote social and economic justice. The particiopants committed to remain steadfast and to collaborate in ensuring that justice for Africans and people of African descent becomes a global priority.
The two day meeting held from February 27-28, at the Kuriftu Resort African Village and the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa was under the theme: “The role of faith communities and ethical organizations in advancing justice for Africans and people of African descent through reparations.”
Reparations encompass broader efforts other than monetary compensation. According to participants at the Addis Ababa conference, “Reparations are not just about financial compensation but about acknowledging historical truths, fostering reconciliation, and creating pathways for economic and social empowerment.”
As the debate gains momentum the participants said, the world watches to see whether these calls for justice will be met with meaningful action.
One of the key outcomes of the two-day convening, was the signing of the Addis-Ababa declaration on reparations, a significant step for Africans as it represents a formal commitment to seeking justice for historical injustices, and the deep-rooted impacts of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, slavery, colonization, and systemic inequalities that continue to affect the development of the African continent.
“The declaration emphasises the role of faith communities in promoting peace, reconciliation, and reparative justice, aligning with Africa’s Agenda 2063 for a prosperous and united continent,” reads the statement and that has highlighted some of the legal and moral imperative of reparations and calls for concrete actions.
After the signed declaration the participants look forward to establishment of an AU Committee of experts on reparations to develop an African-led framework for restorative justice. It has also opened ways for the appointment of an AU special envoy on reparations to advocate for African and diaspora reparations at a global level.
Besides, the formal and collective commitment to addressing historical injustices highlights “recognition of ecological debt as part of the reparations discourse, acknowledging the environmental damage caused by colonial-era exploitation, and a proposal for the African Union to consider declaring a decade of reparations to sustain momentum on this cause.”
The workshop was organized by SECAM, the AU Catholic Chaplaincy, the Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), Pan African Conference on Ethics and Bioethics (COPAB), Interreligious Association for Peace and Development (IAPD-Africa), United Religions Initiative (URI), and other key partners, in collaboration with the Citizens and Diaspora Directorate (CIDO) of the African Union Commission.
