Addis Ababa: The African Union (AU) commemorated Africa Day 2025 with a powerful call for justice, unity, and transformative progress. Marking 62 years since the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), this year’s theme, ‘Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations,’ emphasized the urgent need to address historical injustices while forging a future rooted in dignity and sovereignty.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, delivering the keynote address, Chairperson of the African Union, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, called for bold action toward a just and prosperous Africa. ‘While justice and reparations remain long overdue,’ he said, ‘Africa will not be held hostage by the pain of its past. We are building a future of peace, prosperity, and integration.’ He highlighted Africa’s strategic strengths, including a young and growing population, vast arable land, mineral wealth, and renewable energy. These assets position the continent as a rising global force, he said, adding with th
e population projected to exceed 2.5 billion by 2050, he declared Africa to be ‘the engine of global transformation.’
The Chairperson also praised the dynamism of African youth and women who are leading innovation and community transformation. He noted the resilience of African economies, many of which achieved significant growth prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Africa’s expanding role in global governance was another key theme of his address. The Chairperson described Africa’s inclusion in the G20 as ‘a well-deserved recognition of the continent’s importance,’ he said. He emphasized that initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) are vital to promoting value addition, economic sovereignty, and continental integration.
Ambassador Hadera Abera, Ethiopia’s State Minister of Foreign Affairs, reaffirmed Ethiopia’s commitment to Agenda 2063 and called for stronger ties with the African diaspora. He stated that reparatory justice affirms the dignity of African people and lays the foundati
on for equality and accountability. ‘Unity among African nations is more critical than ever,’ he said, adding ‘We must confront challenges such as climate change, youth unemployment, and technological disruption with a united front.’
Director of UNESCO’s Liaison Office to the AU, and Representative to Ethiopia, Rita Bissoonauth, echoed the urgency of the 2025 theme. ‘Justice through reparations is not about the past. It is about reclaiming our future,’ she said, announcing a high-level UNESCO roundtable on ‘Reparations, Memory, and Sovereignty,’ to be held later this year. Quoting Thomas Sankara, she concluded, ‘You cannot carry out fundamental change without a certain amount of madness. It takes the courage to invent the future.’
As Africa Day is celebrated around the world, the African Union calls on all Africans to embrace their identity, pursue justice, and shape their future with unity and pride.