Accra hosted the launch of Reparations. The History, Struggle, Politics and Law, a book by journalist and Pan-Africanist Kwesi Pratt Jnr., with Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama, in attendance. The event was organised with support from the Pan-African Progressive Front (PPF).
President Mahama, who wrote the foreword to the book, said reparations were essential to restoring justice and dignity to Africa after centuries of slavery and colonialism.
“Reparation is not a charity; it is justice, and it must be visible,” he said. He added that the book lays out facts, figures, and pathways for securing reparations, which could support the reorganisation of global systems in Africa’s favour.
The book was earlier presented at the African Union Summit in Malabo in July 2025. It estimates the debt owed to Africa at several trillions of dollars, including $2–3 trillion for unpaid labour during slavery, $4–6 trillion for colonial exploitation, $500 billion for debt cancellation, $50 billion for stolen artefacts, and $1 trillion for climate reparations.
Speaking at the launch, Pratt said, “Reparation is not simply compensation for past crimes; it is about restructuring the world, redistributing surplus value, and removing the inequality rooted in the colonial era.”
Targeted at activists, students, and Africa’s youth, the book has already been reviewed at an experts’ forum in Johannesburg in August 2025. Rising demand has led to plans for an additional print run.
