African Union and CARICOM Launch Joint Reparations Mechanism

Africa and the Caribbean took a concrete step toward coordinated reparatory justice last week, as three expert bodies held their inaugural joint meeting. The virtual session united the African Union’s Committee and Legal Reference Group on Reparations with the CARICOM Reparations Commission, operationalizing a mechanism first mandated by AU assemblies in 2023–24 and rooted in the 2012 Global African Diaspora Summit.

The talks, guided by the September 2025 Addis Ababa Declaration, mark a watershed after two decades of advocacy following the 2001 Durban conference. Participants compared mandates, reviewed CARICOM’s ten-point plan, and mapped collaboration across legal strategy, research, diplomacy, education, and civil society.

The meeting follows a high-level UN consultative conference in Accra (June 18–19), convened under a General Assembly resolution that classifies the transatlantic slave trade as a crime against humanity.

To sustain momentum, the groups agreed on quarterly bureau meetings, annual plenaries, and dedicated liaison channels. The AU and CARICOM secretariats will now finalize a joint action matrix, fulfilling a 2024 memorandum of understanding. The structure is lean; the ambition, substantial.