Senegal organized a historic meeting on African memory, justice, and reparations at the African Burial Ground National Monument in New York, co-chaired by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama.
This solemn ceremony brought together prominent African and Caribbean figures, including:
• H.E. Azali Assoumani, President of the Union of the Comoros • H.E. Muhammed B.S. Jallow, Vice-President of The Gambia • H.E. Francia Márquez, Vice-President of Colombia • H.E. Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados • H.E. Rimtalba Jean-Emmanuel Ouédraogo, Prime Minister of Burkina Faso • H.E. General Abdoulaye Maïga, Prime Minister of Mali • Hon. Dawda A. Jallow, Minister of Justice of The Gambia • Mr. Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission • The representative of the African Union Commission • Several African Ministers of Foreign Affairs
Many notable figures from the diaspora were also present, including actor Omar Sy, NBA Vice-President Amadou Gallo Fall, and former basketball players Joakim Noah, DeSagana Diop, and Matar Ndiaye.
In his address, President Faye emphasized that memory is not a burden of the past but a compass for the future. This gathering, aligned with the African Union’s declaration of 2025 as the “Year of Justice and Reparations,” commits Africa and its diasporas to transforming memory into a force for action toward justice, dignity, and solidarity.
