African leaders convened in Algiers on Sunday, November 30, 2025, to advocate for the formal recognition, criminalization, and reparations for colonial-era injustices. The conference aimed to advance a resolution previously adopted by the African Union earlier this year, which calls for justice and compensation for victims of colonialism.
In his opening address, Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf emphasized that Algeria’s history under French rule highlights the urgent need to seek restitution and recover stolen assets. He stressed that any legal framework established should ensure that reparations are understood as a matter of justice, “neither a gift nor a favor.”
“Africa is entitled to demand the official and explicit recognition of the crimes committed against its peoples during the colonial period, an indispensable first step toward addressing the consequences of that era, for which African countries and peoples continue to pay a heavy price in terms of exclusion, marginalization and backwardness,” Attaf stated.
While international conventions and widely accepted legal statutes have outlawed practices such as slavery, torture, and apartheid, the United Nations Charter does not explicitly address colonialism. Leaders at the conference argued that formal recognition and a clear legal framework are essential to hold former colonial powers accountable and provide reparations to affected communities.
This gathering marks a renewed push by African nations to ensure that the historical injustices of colonialism are addressed not just symbolically, but through concrete legal and financial measures.
