By Tawiah Mensah
Africa Day, observed on 25th May every year, is used by member states of the African Union (AU) to celebrate the progress made since the inception of the continental body.
The occasion is also used to reflect upon the common challenges faced by members states within the global economy. Thankfully, this year’s Africa Day is being marked at a time when the World Bank has projected a growth rate of 3.5% for Africa, despite global economic uncertainty.
Previously called Organisation of African Unity (OAU), it was established in 1963. The African Union (AU) aims to achieve unity and solidarity among African countries, fast-track political and socio-economic integration on the continent, and defend common positions on issues of interest to the continent.
On the occasion of its 62nd anniversary, the issue of interest happens to be Reparations. Expectedly, this has found space in the theme for the celebrations- “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations.”
Pursuant to this theme, four goals have been set. They include; Unite #Africa and the Diaspora through a Common Position on Reparations, Launch a Global #Reparations Fund to support reparations projects, Deepen #Diaspora collaboration for stronger global #advocacy and Restore African cultural heritage to its rightful home.
Two words run through the above-mentioned goals of the theme for Africa Day 2025- Diaspora and Reparations.
The word Diaspora is used to refer to people who identify with a specific geographic location, but currently reside elsewhere. As such, Diaspora in this context refers to Africans and people of African descent living everywhere on the globe.
The meaning of Reparations has evolved over the years and is now understood as not only war damages. It includes compensation and other measures provided to victims of severe human rights violations, such as slavery, by the parties that perpetrated them.
The role of Africans in the Diaspora
According to Tony Elumelu, a Nigerian Economist, “We have to take responsibility for our own development. No one else will develop Africa for us.”
That is to say, it behoves Africans living everywhere to contribute their widow’s mite to Africa’s development effort. Hence, those in the Diaspora could establish businesses in their home countries to create jobs, thereby contributing to economic growth.
They could remit their families through financial institutions such as the United Bank for Africa (UBA), a major Pan-African financial institution with operations across numerous African countries. They could as well open foreign currency, particularly dollar accounts, with UBA which they can access during their visits to ‘the mother land.’
In addition, wherever they find themselves, Africans in the diaspora need to patronise made in Africa goods. By so doing, they help grow indigenous small-scale enterprises that produce those goods. Thus, create jobs for the teeming unemployed youth on the continent.
Furthermore, Africans in the Diaspora must be willing to make their expertise, especially in disciplines that are not common, available through periodic volunteering schemes in their home countries.
Africa suffers a gap in healthcare personnel such as medical doctors and nurses. In countries that have adequate numbers of these cadre of health workers, the personnel are not evenly distributed across districts. Offering to serve in remote areas could go a long way to improving health outcomes for their home countries.
Similarly, professional teachers in the Diaspora could offer to teach in rural areas to fill the gap in teacher to student/pupil ratio periodically.
Diasporans with expertise in a vital discipline like Information Communication Technology (ICT) could help transfer current knowledge in this field to their home countries by offering their services to designated national institutions to build the required capacity in this regard.
Clearly, Africans in the diaspora have a role to play in Africa’s development, and the need to involve them hinges on age-old African proverb- “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
The role of Reparations in Africa’s development
The leaders of member states agreed on this year’s theme for Africa Day during the 38th AU Summit held in February 2025. The objective is to place reparations at the core of the AU’s long-term priorities and strengthen its capacity to provide technical support to member states in this endeavour.
Therefore, discussions are currently ongoing with leaderships of countries which were at the forefront of the transatlantic slave trade and Africa’s colonisation, for Reparations. The countries include France, the UK, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands.
And the demand from these former colonial powers is comprehensive. First, is a demand for a change in global trade systems to stop Africa’s dependence on raw commodity exports and build competitive, value-added economies.
Second, is the need to transform the international financial arrangements that disadvantages African nations.
Third, to restore Africa’s sovereignty over its natural resources, human capital, and policy choices. This is to ensure that countries have the fiscal space and are able to direct their financial flows to drive their own development decisions.
Fourth, redirect Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) and Official Development Assistance (ODA) to building strong institutions and country systems, as well as digital public infrastructure.
Fifth and most importantly, financial compensatory payments to African nations and communities affected by colonial exploitation.
This could also involve investments in infrastructure, education, and healthcare to support economic development.
Agenda 2063- The Africa We Want
This agenda finds expression in the words of former Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf- “The future of Africa lies in the hands of its people.”
Agenda 2063 is a set of initiatives proposed and currently under implementation by the African Union. The idea was first mooted by the 21st Ordinary Assembly on 26 May 2013, 50 years after the foundation of the Organisation of African Unity, as a plan for the next 50 years.
The stated goals of Agenda 2063 are; eradication of poverty within one generation, political integration- in particular through the establishment of a federal or confederate United Africa, improvements in democracy and justice, establishment of security and peace on the entire African continent, strengthening of cultural identity through an “African renaissance” and pan-African ideals, gender equality, and political independence from foreign powers.
A Pan-African Bank to facilitate Reparations and investments
One of the main goals of the theme for this year’s Africa Day is, Launch a Global #Reparations Fund to support reparations.
This is where UBA comes.
In line with its credo of ‘Partnering for Progress,’ UBA offers AfriCash, a money transfer service that allows for sending and receiving money through its network of 1000 branches across Africa.
It aims to provide an efficient payment system for trade activities, especially within the informal sector, and supports formal trade transactions like imports and exports.
Conclusion
From the foregoing, there is no gainsaying the fact that the theme for Africa Day 2025 and its goals align with the AU’s Agenda 2063.
And UBA is well positioned to facilitate all financial transfers that will be made through investments by Africans in the Diaspora and the Global Reparations Fund to build the Africa We want.
