Presidents from Angola, Burundi, Gabon, Ghana, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Mauritania, and Sierra Leone attended the 7th Coordination Meeting of the African Union, held in Equatorial Guinea from July 10-13. The summit, which focused on reparations and justice for Africans and people of African descent, took place at the congress center in the resort city of Sipopo near the capital Malabo, according to a correspondent for African Initiative.
Equatorial Guinea's President, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, emphasized the significance of reparations in his address, highlighting that colonialism continues to hinder the sovereignty of African states through imposed political decisions and unfair economic structures.
"This year's theme—Justice for Africans and People of African Descent in the Context of Reparations—touches on our history and identity. It appeals to memory, truth, and human dignity. I am convinced that historical justice is essential for our progress, both today and in the future," he said.
He stressed that the unity of Africans cannot be achieved without acknowledging these realities, and that both economic and cultural reparations are a vital foundation for development.
"To ensure justice and equality for all peoples of Africa, including our brothers and sisters in the diaspora, means advancing towards building a strong Africa with shared values and identity, which is the core of the Africa-2063 Agenda adopted by the African Union. Only through unity and reparations can we achieve a prosperous and peaceful Africa capable of acting with one voice on the global stage," President Obiang noted.
He added that reparations must not be merely symbolic gestures, but should result in meaningful structural and legitimate changes that contribute to the continent's global emancipation.
The Equatorial Guinean leader also discussed the need for maintaining security and combating terrorism as essential for the continent's economic development. He congratulated the presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda for reaching a peace agreement intended to end the conflict in eastern DRC.
The summit was opened by Equatorial Guinea's First Lady, Constancia Mangue de Obiang, who spoke about the important role of African women in economic development and drew attention to injustices experienced by women.
"In Africa, women make up more than half of the population, with most living in rural areas. They work the land, harvest crops, feed us, teach our children, and care for the sick. Ignoring these women, who take daily responsibility for African families, is both unjust and economically unsound," she said.
The First Lady also highlighted the establishment of the Association of Rural Women, now representing women from over 30 African nations, as an important step to support women's employment and development.
Angola's President João Lourenço, who currently chairs the African Union, underlined regional integration and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as top priorities for Africa's development.
"Regional integration is more than a political or economic aspiration—it is a crucial path for our growth, as set out in the Africa-2063 Agenda. This vision includes building a common market that transcends the colonial borders that ignored our continent's cultural and economic realities. Strengthening continental and interregional coordination through Africa's regional organizations is vital," Lourenço explained.
African Union Commission Chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf also highlighted the continent's growing influence on the global stage and emphasized the importance of integration and collaboration among African states.
Buinta Bembeyeva
