The demand for reparations for the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism took center stage at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, as a coalition of Global South leaders mounted an unprecedented call for reparative justice while criticizing Western nations for their continued silence on historical crimes.

Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama, serving as the African Union Champion for Reparations, delivered a landmark address that framed the debate in stark moral terms. He declared the slave trade “the greatest crime against humanity,” referencing the forced displacement of over 12.5 million Africans to generate wealth for Western nations.

“We must demand reparations for the enslavement of our people and the colonisation of our land that resulted in the theft of natural resources,” President Mahama stated. He highlighted the historical irony that Western governments “happily paid reparations to former slave owners as compensation for the loss of their ‘property’—the enslaved people themselves.”

“We recognise the value of our land and the value of our lives,” he declared.

Central African Republic President Faustin Archange Touadera reinforced the continental solidarity behind reparations, declaring that “the era of Africa’s dependence is over.” He called for a fundamental shift toward “sovereignty, not subordination; partnership, not exploitation.”

President Touadera condemned the persistent global inequality, stating it is “unacceptable to see poverty worsening in Africa while wealth accumulates in the Northern countries,” while confirming his nation’s full support for the pan-African reparations initiative.

Bolivian President Luis Alberto Arce Catacora outlined specific mechanisms for addressing historical injustices, proposing the establishment of a dedicated UN commission on reparations covering “slavery, apartheid, genocide, and colonialism.”

“This commission must establish effective mechanisms to restore historical justice,” President Arce explained, detailing three core components: Financial reparations, Environmental restoration and Restitution of stolen cultural property.

He called for those responsible for historical crimes to contribute “billions of dollars into a reparations fund” and urged unity between the African Union and CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) in confronting colonialism’s lasting effects.

A consistent theme across all presentations was profound disappointment with the Global North’s engagement on reparative justice. Leaders expressed unanimous frustration that Western countries continue to avoid meaningful dialogue on the issue, demonstrating what they characterized as a deliberate unwillingness to acknowledge historical responsibilities.

This coordinated stance at the UN General Assembly represents a significant escalation in the international reparations movement, signaling that former colonial powers can no longer sideline these demands on the global stage.

The statements were delivered during the general debate of the 80th UN General Assembly session.

In the heart of Africa, in the mineral-rich eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, new recruits are being trained for battle.

The scores of militia groups that have fought for three decades in one of the most protracted and complex conflicts in the world are still engaging in deadly fighting, and US President Donald Trump’s claimed peace deal for the nation feels like a distant dream.

The deal, portrayed as a “wonderful treaty” by Trump, was signed by the foreign ministers of Rwanda and DR Congo in Washington on June 27.

However, it has yet to end the wider bloodshed that began after the 1994 Rwandan genocide and is estimated to have killed 6 million people.

“Our aim is to go to Kinshasa,” says Corneille Nangaa, a former election-chief-turned-rebel-leader, in an interview with CNN’s Larry Madowo inside the rebel-held city of Goma.

Nangaa’s rebel coalition Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), of which M23 is a key member, plans to go to Kinshasa, the country’s capital, to overthrow his one-time ally President Felix Tshisekedi, whom he considers illegitimate.

“We need to liberate our country. We need to take away this corrupted regime, and then we need to build the state,” said Nangaa, who heads AFC-M23’s political wing.

M23, which is allegedly backed by Rwanda, took control of eastern DR Congo’s two largest cities – Goma and Bukavu – in a lightning offensive at the start of this year. According to DR Congo’s government, some 7,000 people have died in fighting in the eastern Congo since January.

Crucially, neither the AFC nor M23 is party to the US-brokered peace process.

However, Trump is heralding the US-brokered peace agreement as one of the several conflicts his administration has “settled.” He is expected to host the two country’s presidents soon for a ceremonial signing of the deal.

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CNN visited Goma, home to more than 2 million people, in the week the United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) released a fact-finding report on the escalation of hostilities between January and July 2025 in North and South Kivu, the provinces where Goma and Bukavu are located.

The findings “underscore the gravity and widespread nature of violations and abuses committed by all parties to the conflict, including acts that may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

Eight months on from M23’s violent takeover of Goma, the city’s Birere market is once again bustling with hundreds of stalls packed with fresh produce.

But the hectic scenes belie the ever-present threat of violence for civilians living in this contested region.

“Ça va un peu,” or “it’s kind of OK,” says one young man selling brightly colored cloth, when asked how life has been since January.

“We have suffered enough already,” another woman selling fish laid out on a small wooden table says. Like many, she declines to talk about life under the control of an armed militia or to give her name.

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Women of Isi-Uzo Local Government Area, LGA, Enugu State, have thrown their weights behind the reelection of the state governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, saying the women of the area have never had it so good.

The women pledged their support on Wednesday during the 2025 edition of Isi-Uzo Women Convention themed “Beyond Protest and Role of Women in Community Development.

Speaking at the event, which drew a mammoth crowd of women, traditional rulers, political leaders and stakeholders of the LGA, the convener and wife of the Council Chairman, Mrs. Onyinye Obeagu, commended Governor Mbah for prioritising grassroots development, adding that the governor’s wife had greatly impacted the women and children of Isi-Uzo through her charity outreach platform, Custos Care Foundation.

“Isi-Uzo women have never benefited so much like this under any administration. We cannot thank our governor enough for all the projects going on across Isi-Uzo as well as some completed ones.

“We thank the Governor for the Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres and Smart Green Schools either ongoing or completed in all the wards of Isi-Uzo.

“We thank the First Lady for all she has done in Isi-Uzo and across the state courtesy of the Custos Care Foundation. This Foundation has greatly impacted the health and welfare of our women and children. Therefore, we shall continue to give our unflinching support to this government,” she noted.

The Council Chairman, Barr. Obiora Obeagu, also extolled Mrs. Mbah for her motherly role in championing women’s development.

“Isi-Uzo stands firmly with Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, as we work together to build a prosperous and inclusive Enugu State. Our mothers and daughters are the strength of our communities, and we thank you for standing by them,” he declared.

Barr. Obeagu assured the First Lady that his administration would continue to prioritise women empowerment, also ensuring that they were active partners in the development drive of the Council.

Responding, the Wife of the Governor, who was represented at the convention by Barr. Chidinmma Egonu, commended the women of Isi-Uzo for their industry and loyalty to the present administration and encouraged them to use the opportunity of the convention to create bonds, learn and develop capacity to unlock their many potential.

“I am deeply touched by the love and solidarity I have seen today in Isi-Uzo. Women are the heartbeat of every society, and this administration is committed to empowering you with opportunities in health, education, agriculture, and skills development,” she assured.

She further encouraged women to remain united and continue supporting the government’s vision.

“Together, we will build stronger families, stronger communities, and a stronger Enugu State. I celebrate your resilience today,” Mrs. Mbah concluded.

Speaking, Mrs. Mbah, who was represented by the Managing Director, Custo Care Foundation, Dr. Blessing Egodi, commended Governor Mbah for the improved security in the state and the women of Isi-Uzo for their resilience and prevailing peace in their communities.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Enugu State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Ify Ani-Osheku, commended the effort of the Chairman of Isi-Uzo Local Government Council on areas of health especially for enrolling 5,000 persons in the Health Insurance Scheme.

Dr. Ani-Osheku also enjoined the galaxy of women at the event to support the present administration in Enugu State and join in raising the bar of governance.

The highpoint of the convention was the distribution of empowerment packages and palliatives, including bags of rice, wrappers, and other household essentials to the women amidst chants of joy.

Women, especially widows, who received the items expressed gratitude to the First Lady, pledging to extend the goodwill to families across the LGA.

The event also featured colourful cultural dances, solidarity songs, and drama sketches by women groups showcasing the role of women in development.