Historical repairs to Africa: “It’s not just money”

The Equatorial Guinea Ambassador in Portugal declared today, in Oeiras, that this year’s theme announced by the African Union, historical repairs, is not limited to economic compensations and is a broader, ethical and deeper concept.

The Equato-Guinean ambassador Tito mba is therewhich is also the dean of the group of African ambassadors in Portugal, said on Tuesday that the “Historical repairs“, Officially proclaimed by the African Union (UA) to 2025, calls” everyone at a careful listening, a historical look and also a practical commitment. “

At an organized conference at Taguspark, Lisbon, about the Africa Day celebrationwhich was marked on May 25, MBA ADA wanted to leave, before a widely representative audience of the African continent, three notes.

“The first note is About the word itself, which is not limited to the idea of economic compensationAlthough this dimension, in certain contexts, is worthy and properly sustained, ”said the ambassador.

For the diplomat, the reparation today, “It is broader, more ethical and deeperthe. And the Open wound recognitionthe restitution of historical truth, the reformulation of the power relationship and, above all, the reconstruction of a dignity That never, never, should never have been violated. ”

MBA ADA clarified that “to repair, in this context, it is not to go back to the past To point out blame, but to face, with maturity, the lasting effects of colonialism and trafficking in human beings, ”as well as the“ systematic exploitation of African and African riches ”.

The representative of the government of Guinea Equatorial stressed that “great injustice of the past ”was also the how the continent was thought without Africans be represented, through a office “the ruler and square“.

In the second noteMBA Ada approached the present of Africa that is underway, with “its own mission through the African Union, which projects a model of leadership centered on democratic governance and economic interaction … whose fruits are on its way.”

The ambassador cited the Agenda 2063, from UAwhich “outlines a clear view of a prosperous, integrated and peaceful continentgoverned by the Africans themselves, ”as well as the creation of the“ African continental free trade zone, which unites 54 countries and admits to establish the largest integrated market in the world ”.

A third note given by the diplomat was that the future of Africa must be done based on a shared construction. “Future repair begins now, and begins with us,” he said.

For this, they are required new and more legitimate partnershipsmore fair and transparent, and that there is a historical recognition of this struggle, in a commitment to education, culture, science, sovereignty and technological development, he mentioned.

The ambassador also said that although Africa is still seen through “lenses of Pessimism and lack“This will not be the geographical reality” in the next 30 years. “

“Today, More than 60% of the African population is less than 25 years oldwhat makes our continent The youngest on the planet. This youth, inside and outside the continent, adapts quickly to the new topics. In the future, it is estimated that by 2050, One in four young people in the world will be African“He said.

Finally, the ambassador said that, by celebrating Africa’s Day, do not appeal to the guiltbut to “historical lucidity“They do not evoke resentments, but appeal to honest alliances.

Historical duty or fashion

The theme of the “historical repairs” due by colonialist countries by “errors of the past” has launched controversy in recent years in several countries.

In 2020, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte apologized “for the Dutch state’s past actions by enslaving people in the past”, gathering the Netherlands to United Kingdom, France e Denmark, who have already commented on the subject, asking for “apologies for the mistakes made”.

Na Belgium, King Philip expressed a “deep grief for the wounds of the past,” but did not make a formal apology. THE Germany, In 2021, he admitted for the first time having committed a genocide against the tribes in Namibia.

Portugal never made a formal apology to other countries related to colonialism or slavery, but in 2023, at the 49th anniversary of 25 April, the President of the Republic, MARCELO REBELO DE SOUSAstated that “We have to assume the best and the worst what we did. ”

A year ago, on the eve of the 50th anniversary celebrations of April 25, Marcelo resumed the theme and said that the costs of slavery and colonial crimes.

“There are actions that have not been punished And weren’t those responsible arrested? Are there goods that were looted and not returned? Let’s see how we can notice this, ”said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, during a dinner with foreign correspondents in Portugal.

At the event, Marcelo said that Portugal “assumes all responsibilityFor the mistakes of the past and remember that these crimes, including colonial massacres, had costs.

On the same day, the Brazilian Minister of Racial Equality of Brazil, Anielle Francofollowing the “important and blunt” statement by the President of the Republic.

“For the first time We are making a debate of this dimension In the international level, ”said the Brazilian minister”, who said her team was already “in contact with the Portuguese government to talk about how to think these actions and from here which steps will be taken”.

According to the Cuban World History teacher Manuel Barciaspecializing in slavery in the Atlantic, has prevented Portugal and other states with a colonial past from apologizing for slavery.

A formal apology from the Portuguese state would be “one thing minimal after all that happened ”also defends Barcia.

“But The answer has to be given by us who descend from slaves. They are the ones who have to say if they need an apology, adds the Cuban academic.

Also the Brazilian historian Laurentino Gomes considers that Portugal should due to slavery and slave traffic to the African peoples, following made other European countries and old colonies like Brazil or the United States.

Not everyone agrees with the idea that countries with colonialist past should apologize. According to the leader of CDS-PP, Nuno Meloapology from other countries “They are a fashion, Portugal does not have to ask ”.