ZIMBABWE has joined other African nations in demanding reparations from Britain for “historic colonial crimes”.
The government made the commitment to African solidarity at the ongoing Second African Union-Caribbean Community Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The summit, convened under the theme Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations, brought together heads of State, diplomats and civil society organisations from across Africa and the Caribbean.
The gathering aimed at pushing forward a unified agenda for reparatory justice and inclusive development, focusing on historical redress and empowerment.
“The issue of reparatory justice is not only a moral obligation, but also a political and economic necessity,” Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said.
“We must establish a transcontinental partnership framework that unites Africa, the Caribbean and the global African diaspora in pursuit of justice and empowerment.”
Zimbabwe threw its weight behind the proposal to establish a reparations joint mechanism, which harmonises strategies and presents a unified case for reparations at the global level.
According to the minister, reparations should not only take the form of financial compensation, but also include formal apologies, debt cancellation and targeted developmental programmes that uplift historically marginalised communities.
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The African Union has called for “meaningful reparations” from “former colonial powers” for exploiting the people, land and resources of the continent.
The bloc blamed “systemic injustice” prevailing on the continent on the imperialism of the 19th century.
The African Union will produce its own reparation demands, with the Caribbean nations already demanding trillions in compensation for slavery.
The summit also tackled issues of global governance and fair representation including a permanent African representation in key global decision-making bodies such as the United Nations Security Council and G20.
“Zimbabwe stands firm in its belief that Africa must be heard and represented where decisions affecting our future are made,” Ziyambi said.
“The time for action is now. We must move beyond rhetoric and build mechanisms that deliver real change for our people,” the minister added.
The summit concluded with a renewed commitment by participating nations to strengthen Afro-Caribbean ties, amplify the push for reparatory justice and ensure the voices of Africans and people of African descent are central in shaping a fairer global village.
