“Africa is a continent of boundless energy and
possibility. But for too long, the colossal injustices
inflicted by enslavement, the transatlantic slave trade and
colonialism have been left unacknowledged and
unaddressed,” he said.
The
United Nations has repeatedly said that slavery and the
transatlantic slave trade constituted
crimes against humanity, and the Secretary-General has
repeatedly called for redress for these
injustices.
Speaking to the Africa Dialogue Series
— which is focused on the theme of justice through
reparations — the Secretary-General noted that the
movement for reparatory justice is gaining momentum around
the world as reflected by the declaration of the Second
Decade for People of African Descent, which runs through
2035.
The last
decade, which ended in 2024, yielded tangible results,
with over 30 Member States revising laws to better tackle
racial discrimination. However, the Secretary-General noted
that much work remains.
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“We point to the poisoned
legacies of enslavement and colonialism, not to sow division
but to heal them,” he said.
‘Long shadow of
colonialism’
Mr. Guterres underlined the entrenched
nature of racism and exploitative systems, saying that these
systems have disadvantaged African countries and people of
African descent beyond the end of colonialism and
enslavement.
“Decolonization did not free African
countries, or people of African descent, from the structures
and prejudices that made those projects possible,” he
said.
In fact, when the United Nations was founded and
many of the global structures established, some African
countries were still colonies.
“When African
countries gained their independence, they inherited a system
built to serve others — not them,” the Secretary-General
said.
The President of the General
Assembly, Philémon Yang, underlined the importance of
teaching this history through national curricula and
monuments such as The
Ark of Return at UN Headquarters.
“Knowledge of
our true history can serve as a powerful compass in our
onward march towards progress,” he said.
The Ark of
Return, the Permanent Memorial to Honour the Victims of
Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, located at the
Visitors’ Plaza of UN Headquarters in New
York.
Transforming ‘poisoned legacies’
To
address the inequities of this system, the Secretary-General
called upon the global community to take action on
international financial systems which are burdening
developing economies in Africa and the Caribbean.
Specifically, he emphasized the importance of restructuring
debt systems which are “suffocating” these countries’
economies.
Previous UN reports have noted that some
poor countries spend more on debt repayments than they do on
health, education and infrastructure combined
Mr.
Guterres also called for massive investments into clean
energy infrastructure in Africa which has been deeply impacted
by climate change.
“African countries did not cause
the climate crisis. Yet the effects of our heating planet
are wreaking havoc across the continent,” he
said.
He also reiterated his call for the
establishment of a permanent Security
Council position for an African Member State.
Mr.
Yang, the General Assembly President, underlined the urgency
of the Secretary-General’s remarks, urging member states
to act imminently.
“Now is the moment to turn
recommendations into rights, apologies into action and
aspirations into
accountability.”
