ADS 2025, Sub-theme 3 – Video Interviews with Experts

In Focus

In case you missed it

Week 3 | Day Two — 20 May

Experts from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) share their insights into this week's sub-theme "Building the Future: Healing and Reparations towards Socio-Economic Justice for Africans and People of African Descent." They explain why reparations are imperative for the sustainable development of Africa and the African diaspora. Their insightful and incisive analyses complement the documentary videos published on the first day of the third week at the Africa Dialogue Series 2025 and set the tone for discussions at this week's international webinar and Youth Stage.

 

 

Sir Hilary Beckles Discusses Reparations for the Transatlantic Slave Trade

In this interview, Sir Hilary Beckles, one of the world’s foremost experts on the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, and Chairman of the CARICOM Reparations Commission, discusses the importance of reparations for the Transatlantic Slave Trade. On 25 March 2024 for the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, Beckles joined UN Secretary-General António Guterres to pay tribute to the millions of men, women and children who suffered as a result of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

 

 

Mr Eric Phillips, Chair, Guyana Reparations Committee and Vice Chair, CARICOM Reparations Commission on what reparations entail

Mr. Eric Phillips, Chair of the Guyana Reparations Committee and Vice Chair of the CARICOM Reparations Commission speaks about "Building the Future: Healing and Reparations towards Socio-Economic Justice for Africans and People of African Descent." Speaking in the context of the Africa Dialogue Series (ADS) 2025, he outlines what reparations would look like in the context of sustainable development for African and Caribbean countries.

 

 

Brian Kagoro, Pan Africanist and Global Development Practitioner on addressing historical injustices through a united front

Brian Kagoro, Pan Africanist and Global Development Practitioner speaks on addressing historical injustices through a united front of Africans and People of African Descent that leverages their collective advantages globally.

 

 

Ambassador Dr. June Soomer, Immediate Past Chair, UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, talks about reparations

Ambassador Dr June Soomer, Immediate Past Chair, UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent speaks on "Building the Future: Healing and Reparations towards Socio-Economic Justice for Africans and People of African Descent. She talks about the justification and frameworks that have been put in place for reparations.

 

 

General Information

Launch Messages

Week 1: 5 - 9 May

Sub-theme 1: Learning from the Past: Transatlantic Slave Trade, Colonialism, Extractive Economies and Institutions in Africa

Week 2: 12 - 16 May

Sub-theme 2: Understanding the Present: Economic, Social and Cultural Justice for Sustainable Development

Week 3: 19 - 23 May

Sub-theme 3: Building the Future: Healing and Reparations towards Socio-Economic Justice for Africans and People of African Descent

30 May

High-level Policy Dialogue

Media