Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Philemon Yang,
At the 2025 Africa Dialogue Series High-level Policy Dialogue on
“Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations”
Friday, 30 May 2025, 3:00 p.m, Conference Room 4
[As Delivered]
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am honoured to welcome you to the 2025 Africa Dialogue Series, convened in partnership with the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa.
This year’s Dialogue Series comes at a crucial moment.
A moment to rally global support for justice and reparations, grounded in historical truth, present realities, and a shared vision for a more equitable future.
I commend the African Union for its leadership in selecting this year’s theme: “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations.”
A theme that demands we confront the past honestly to shape a just future.
I take this opportunity to note that this theme was prominently discussed during the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, held in Addis Ababa this February, which I had the honour of attending.
Excellencies,
On 8 November 2024, I convened the General Assembly’s High-Level Meeting to mark the closure of the International Decade for People of African Descent.
We reflected on our progress, acknowledged our shortcomings, and renewed our commitment to do better.
That first decade brought real gains:
Global awareness of racism grew;
More than thirty states revised laws and policies to combat discrimination;
The Permanent Forum on People of African Descent was established;
Intergovernmental discussions progressed on a draft United Nations declaration on the respect, protection and fulfilment of the human rights of people of African descent;
And 25 July was proclaimed the International Day for Women and Girls of African Descent.
Yet progress remains insufficient.
People of African descent still face racism, injustice, and the enduring legacies of slavery and colonialism.
The General Assembly’s proclamation of a Second International Decade for People of African Descent on December 2024, is therefore a vital step.
Member States must use this mandate to deliver substantive, meaningful actions.
Excellencies,
True reparatory justice begins by reckoning with history.
Over four centuries, beginning in the sixteenth century, more than twelve million Africans were pulled from their homes, shackled, and condemned to brutal servitude.
The enormity of these horrors cannot be measured by numbers alone.
The legacy of this dark chapter remains entrenched in our present.
In how our societies have developed.
In the lived experiences of the descendants of enslaved Africans.
Thus, reparatory justice must go far beyond financial and material compensation.
It demands comprehensive legal, educational, psychological, and socio-economic measures.
Measures tailored to the unique needs of people of African descent and aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
We are not without guidance.
The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, the Accra Declaration on Reparations, and a range of regional efforts led by the African Union and the Caribbean Community provide valuable direction.
Excellencies,
Education must be at the heart of any lasting transformation.
We must integrate the full history of slavery, colonialism, and resistance into national curricula.
For, knowledge of our true history can serve as a powerful compass in our onward march to progress.
We must support platforms such as the Ark of Return as permanent reminders of our shared moral responsibility.
We must ensure that the voices of people of African descent are amplified, especially on matters that affect them.
And we must design policies that genuinely meet their needs.
Excellencies,
The General Assembly has a central role in advancing the realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all.
Now is the moment to turn recognition into rights, apologies into action, and aspirations into accountability.
The justice that Africans and people of African descent have dreamed of for centuries must not be delayed any longer.
Thank you.
Media Contacts
Sharon Birch, Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly, Tel: +1 212 963 0564, M: +1 646 342 5873, Email: birchs@un.org
Dr. Mariam Shaikh, Adviser/ Social and Digital Media/Media Relations, M: +1 917 3614990, Email: mariam.shaikh@un.org
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Resolutions of the 79th Session – UN General Assembly
