The African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC), in partnership with the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR), convened a Civil Society Roundtable on 10 September, 2026, on Leveraging the United Nations General Assembly Resolution Declaring Chattel Slavery the Gravest Crime in History.

The dialogue brought together diplomats, legal practitioners, scholars, cultural practitioners, civil society actors and members of the African diaspora to examine the implications of United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/80/250 and explore how diverse stakeholders can engage meaningfully with the global reparatory justice agenda.

The roundtable formed part of ongoing efforts to advance awareness and implementation of the landmark resolution, adopted on March 25, 2026, which formally recognises the Transatlantic Slave Trade and chattel slavery as crimes against humanity and the gravest crimes in history. The resolution represents a significant milestone in decades of advocacy by African states, Caribbean nations, descendants of enslaved peoples, civil society organisations and reparations movements worldwide.

Opening the discussion, Amb. William Carew, Head of the ECOSOCC Secretariat, reflected on the long struggle that culminated in the adoption of the resolution and underscored the importance of ensuring that historical recognition leads to tangible outcomes. He highlighted the critical role of partnerships in advancing justice, noting that “reparatory justice requires collective action from like-minded partners.”

Prof Tim Murithi, Senior Advisor at IJR and member of the African Union Committee of Experts on Reparations, situated the discussion within IJR’s more than 25 years of work on justice, accountability and historical redress. He emphasised the importance of public education and civic engagement, arguing that communities across the continent must understand both the significance of the resolution and the opportunities it creates for advocacy, policy engagement and collective action. He further stressed the importance of ensuring that African voices remain central in shaping contemporary reparations discourse.

Providing a continental policy perspective, Amb. Amr Aljowaily, Director of the African Union Commission’s Citizens and Diaspora Organizations Directorate (CIDO), located the resolution within the African Union’s broader reparations architecture. He highlighted its alignment with key African Union decisions and ongoing continental initiatives, including collaboration between the African Union and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). He also emphasised the vital role that civil society organisations, researchers, archivists and cultural institutions can play in contributing evidence, testimony, historical records and community knowledge to support reparatory justice efforts.

“Most importantly,” he noted, “Africa remains united. When Africa remains united, its voice will be heard.”

Addressing the legal dimensions of the resolution, Adv Donald Deya, Chief Executive Officer of the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU), examined the significance of the resolution for international law, reparations advocacy and strategic litigation. He reflected on the concept of intertemporality and challenged claims that slavery and colonialism should be excluded from legal scrutiny because they were legal under past legal systems. Instead, he argued that contemporary understandings of justice, human dignity and international law provide a strong basis for addressing their enduring consequences.

Dr Panashe Chigumadzi, Assistant Professor at Brandeis University and Rapporteur of the African Union Committee of Experts on Reparations, provided a historical and structural analysis of racialised chattel enslavement. She described it as a world-changing system that fundamentally transformed labour relations, property regimes, sovereignty and territorial governance across continents. Dr Chigumadzi argued that reparations cannot be reduced to financial compensation alone but must address the enduring social, political, economic and institutional structures created through centuries of enslavement and colonial exploitation.

The discussion also highlighted the importance of culture, memory and creative practice in advancing reparatory justice. Ms Kim Poole, Founder of the Teaching Artist Institute, reflected on how artists, educators and cultural practitioners are already incorporating the language and principles of the resolution into songs, exhibitions, multimedia works and community advocacy initiatives. She noted that creative expression plays a critical role in broadening public understanding of reparations and connecting historical justice debates to lived experiences.

Throughout the discussion, it was emphasised that meaningful reparatory justice requires an interdisciplinary approach that connects law, historical research, archival evidence, cultural expression and community knowledge. Participants further highlighted the importance of building awareness and fostering collaboration as the African Union advances its Decade of Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations.

The discussion concluded with a call for sustained engagement and practical action. Reaffirming the broader aims of the initiative, Amb. Carew urged participants to move beyond historical acknowledgement and towards concrete outcomes, making the case to “translate acknowledgement into action.”

As discussions on reparatory justice continue to gain momentum globally, the roundtable underscored the growing consensus that the UN resolution provides not only a symbolic recognition of historical injustice, but also a powerful advocacy tool through which African institutions, civil society organisations and global partners can advance truth, accountability, healing and justice for present and future generations.