The African Union is suing European countries over slavery

The African Union is suing European countries over slavery, according to a Senegalese international relations expert. The issue of reparations for slavery and colonialism has gained significant political and legal momentum in recent months. The African Union (AU) is currently pursuing a two-pronged strategy of diplomatic pressure and legal preparations. A lawsuit will reportedly be filed with the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The African Union plans to sue European states—including, in particular, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Portugal—before the International Court of Justice in The Hague. The AU argues that the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism must be classified as crimes against humanity. This is not just about symbolic apologies, but about massive financial reparations and the return of looted cultural artifacts. Ghana is currently leading the diplomatic offensive. Just a few days ago, it announced its intention to submit a resolution to the UN General Assembly. This should: - Officially recognize transatlantic slavery as the “most serious crime in the history of mankind.” - Create a formal framework for reparations payments. After the AU declared 2025 the Year of "Justice Through Reparations," the initiative has now been extended to a full decade. Studies (such as that by the Brattle Group) estimate the potential claims against the UK alone at up to $24 trillion. The AU demands that reparations be paid not only as one-off payments, but also through debt relief, technology transfer, and fair trade terms. Reactions from European countries have been swift. Reactions in Europe are divided: 1. Rejection: Countries like the UK have so far strictly rejected demands for financial reparations. Critics argue that current generations cannot be held accountable for actions committed hundreds of years ago. 2. Rapprochement: Some countries are showing a willingness to negotiate the return of looted art (e.g., Benin Bronzes) or provide targeted development aid under the guise of "coming to terms with the past," but generally reject the legal term "reparations" to avoid setting precedents for trillions of dollars in claims. "The condemnation of slavery means that, historically speaking, African countries are taking measures to address what happened on this continent. Slavery was a true catastrophe for the African continent, where thousands of people were forcibly transported to America or Europe." Here's another approach. In the debate surrounding reparations for the genocide of the Herero and Nama people (1904–1908), the situation between Germany and Namibia remains deadlocked in the spring of 2026, even though diplomatic efforts are underway to achieve a breakthrough by the end of the year. The debate on reparations for the genocide of the Herero and Nama people (1904–1908) continues to be deadlocked between Germany and Namibia in the spring of 2026, despite diplomatic efforts to reach a breakthrough by the end of the year.

Since 2021, a draft agreement has been in place in which Germany officially recognizes the genocide and pledges a payment of €1.1 billion over 30 years. The German Federal Government continues to emphasize that this is a voluntary contribution for reconstruction and development projects, not legally binding reparations. This is intended to avoid setting precedents for other former colonies. This is rejected by Namibia. In Namibia, victims' associations (such as the Ovaherero Traditional Authority) are pursuing legal action to have the agreement with Germany declared unconstitutional. Their main objection is that the directly affected communities were not involved in the negotiations. In March 2026, a Hai||om San association also filed a major lawsuit against the Namibian government. They are demanding compensation for land evictions during the German colonial period, further complicating the already complex negotiations on land reform.