AFRICAN LEADERS PUSH FOR ECONOMIC SOVEREIGNTY AND REPARATIONS AT AU COORDINATION SUMMIT

AU Leaders in Malabo Call for Reparations, Trade Expansion, and Economic Sovereignty.

Au Africa Continental integration Economic sovereignty African leaders Justice.

African leaders have renewed calls for deeper continental integration, economic sovereignty, and justice through reparations, as they gathered on Sunday in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, for the 7th Biannual Coordination Meeting of the African Union (AU).

The high-level summit brought together heads of state, leaders of regional economic communities (RECs), and senior AU Commission officials to review progress and chart a strategic path for Africa’s development under the theme of accelerated integration and self-reliance.

Equatorial Guinea’s President, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, welcomed delegates to the coastal city of Sipopo, describing it as the “common home of all Africans.” He praised the city’s role in promoting Pan-African unity and reiterated the country’s commitment to hosting events that strengthen the AU’s agenda.

AU Commission Chairperson, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, highlighted Africa’s vast strategic resources, including 50% of the world’s manganese reserves, 80% of platinum, and 47% of cobalt as critical levers for economic transformation. He noted that Africa received $52.6 billion in foreign direct investment and nearly $95 billion in diaspora remittances in 2024 alone, evidence of growing global confidence in the continent’s potential.

Youssouf emphasized the importance of local resource processing in boosting value addition and industrialisation across Africa, citing efforts in copper processing in Zambia, phosphate in Morocco, textiles in Ethiopia, and gemstone polishing in Botswana. He stressed that Africa must move beyond raw material exports and strengthen its agricultural value chains from cotton to cocoa to achieve sustainable growth.

A key focus of the meeting was the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which Youssouf described as central to Africa’s economic vision. He said intra-African trade is expected to rise by over 50% by 2035, as more than 20 countries have already joined the guided trade initiative. However, challenges such as tariffs and non-tariff barriers continue to hinder full implementation.

The AU Commission also raised alarm over illicit financial flows, estimated at $100 billion annually, which continue to drain African economies. Youssouf called for urgent action to curb these outflows and urged countries to mobilize domestic resources, expand tax bases, and tap into sovereign bond markets for infrastructure and development funding.

This year’s summit also spotlighted the AU’s 2025 theme: “Justice for Africans and Afro-descendants through Reparations.” President Obiang stressed that reparations should not be viewed as symbolic, but as structural requirements necessary for the continent’s healing and future prosperity.

Angolan President João Lourenço, who currently chairs the AU, announced two upcoming continental engagements: a conference on infrastructure financing to be held in Luanda from October 28 to 31, and another in New York in September focusing on African conflicts. He also commended the expansion of the SADC–COMESA–EAC tripartite mechanism, which now includes 29 countries, representing 53% of AU member states and 60% of the continent’s GDP.

President Lourenço concluded by urging African leaders to unify their voices on the global stage. “In an increasingly multipolar world, Africa cannot continue to speak with scattered voices,” he said.

The next AU coordination meeting is expected to build on these discussions, with a continued focus on integration, self-reliance, and economic justice for the continent.

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AFRICAN LEADERS PUSH FOR ECONOMIC SOVEREIGNTY AND REPARATIONS AT AU COORDINATION SUMMIT

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