Accra, 11 August 2025 — The demand for reparations to Africa has gained renewed momentum this year, with leaders and experts insisting that it is time to move beyond symbolic gestures and address the deep-rooted economic injustices caused by centuries of slavery, colonial exploitation, and systemic inequality.
Cristina Duarte, former Minister of Finance for Cabo Verde and now United Nations Special Advisor on Africa, has urged African nations to approach the reparations debate with clarity, courage, and a focus on structural reform. She emphasises that Africa’s 2025 theme — “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations” — should not be reduced to speeches and commemorations, but transformed into tangible economic change.
According to Duarte, Africa loses more than $500 billion every year through illicit financial flows, unfair trade practices, exploitative contracts, and crippling debt repayments. She cited examples such as gold-exporting nations receiving only a fraction of the true value of their resources due to poorly negotiated agreements, and mineral-rich countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo exporting raw cobalt without refining it locally, thereby forfeiting massive industrial and employment opportunities.
The frequently mentioned $2 trillion reparations figure comes from estimates of the unpaid labour and wealth extracted from millions of enslaved Africans over centuries. Advocates argue that if paid, this amount could be strategically channelled into clearing Africa’s external debts, financing infrastructure, and boosting critical sectors like education, healthcare, and renewable energy.
For many African economists and policymakers, the reparations debate is not only about correcting historical wrongs but also about dismantling the current systems that keep Africa at a disadvantage in the global economy. They stress that meaningful reparations must address today’s economic structures — from trade imbalances to the burden of borrowing at high interest rates.
As the conversation gains traction on the global stage, African leaders face the challenge of presenting a united front, defining how reparations should be calculated, and ensuring that any funds received are transparently managed for the benefit of all Africans.
For advocates like Duarte, the goal is clear: reparations should be a tool for transformation, helping Africa break free from the cycle of dependency and reclaim the wealth and opportunities that were unjustly taken.