The African Union (AU) commemorated Africa Day 2025 on May 25th with a strong appeal for justice, unity, and a collective path toward prosperity. In an address on behalf of the African Union Commission (AUC), Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf reflected on Africa’s historic struggles and highlighted the continent’s transformative potential.
This year’s theme, “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations,” centers on addressing the long-standing impacts of slavery and colonialism. “While justice and reparations remain long overdue,” said Youssouf, “Africa will not be held hostage by the pain of its past.”
He emphasized the continent’s determination to overcome conflict, poverty, and underdevelopment. “Africa is steadily forging a future of peace, integration, and prosperity,” he declared.
Youssouf underscored the continent’s strategic advantages: a fast-growing and youthful population, rich natural resources, and vast renewable energy potential. With Africa’s population expected to exceed 2.5 billion by 2050, he affirmed that the continent is poised to be a central force in global development.
He also praised the resilience of African economies, many of which were achieving significant growth before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the leadership role of African youth and women in community transformation and innovation.
Africa’s increasing influence in global governance was another key message. Its recent inclusion in the G20 was described as “a well-deserved recognition of Africa’s global importance.”
“It is our duty to safeguard our resources and focus on value addition through transformative policies like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),” Youssouf stated. “Africa must no longer be an afterthought in global geopolitics.”
Concluding his address, the Chairperson called for united action:
“Let us reclaim our agency, uphold our shared values, and shape our own future with confidence. Pan-Africanism demands bold, strategic unity.”
Africa Day 2025 celebrations across the continent and the diaspora aim to:
- Promote the AU’s 2025 Theme of the Year, integrating reparations into peacebuilding, development, and global advocacy frameworks.
- Host high-level policy dialogues focused on actionable strategies for reparatory justice.
- Celebrate Africa’s diverse cultures as powerful tools for healing, innovation, and development.
- Encourage intergenerational and diaspora conversations that bridge historical experiences with future aspirations.
- Reinforce Member States’ commitments to Pan-African solidarity, resilience, and cultural renewal.
The May 25th commemorative event brought together AU Member State representatives, the Permanent Representatives’ Committee (PRC), AU organs and agencies, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), youth and women leaders, civil society, development partners, UN agencies, diaspora groups, and media organizations—united in purpose and vision for Africa’s future.
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