UN Secretary-General António Guterres declared that achieving justice for Africans and people of African descent requires acknowledging historical wrongs of slavery, the Transatlantic Slave Trade, and colonialism through comprehensive reparatory frameworks.

Speaking at Friday evening's opening of the 2025 African Dialogue Series (focused on "Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations"), Guterres stated:

Key Address Points:

Historical Continuities

Colonial-era crimes "continue distorting our world today"

Political decolonization failed to dismantle exploitative structures

Persistent challenges include systemic racism and resource extraction

Reparatory Justice Framework

Essential for "addressing historical wrongs, confronting current challenges, and ensuring universal dignity"

Requires dismantling present-day manifestations:

✓ Racial discrimination

✓ Unjust financial architectures

✓ Asymmetric resource flows

Global Governance Reforms

Permanent African UN Security Council representation

Justice-based peace partnerships under international law

Sustainable development partnerships with:

• Debt architecture restructuring

• International financial system reform

Climate Justice

Massive clean energy investments to position Africa as global renewable leader

Ending extractive natural resource exploitation

Closing Call to Action:

"Together, we must build equity-based partnerships to ensure no country or continent is left behind in achieving justice for Africa and its diaspora."

Event Context:

• Annual African Dialogue Series theme: Reparative justice

• Follows UNGA resolution A/RES/78/237 on slavery legacy redress

• Precedes September 2025 Reparations Summit