Senegal Hosts Historic Meeting on African Memory, Justice, and Reparations in New York

Senegal, in collaboration with Ghana, convened a landmark gathering on African memory, justice, and reparations at the African Burial Ground National Monument in New York.

The event was co-chaired by Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama.

The solemn ceremony brought together a distinguished assembly of African, Caribbean, and diaspora leaders.

Among the attendees were Comoros President Azali Assoumani; Gambian Vice President Muhammed B.S. Jallow; Colombian Vice President Francia Márquez; Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley; Burkina Faso Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean-Emmanuel Ouedraogo; Mali’s Prime Minister General Abdoulaye Maïga; Gambian Minister of Justice Dawda A. Jallow; ECOWAS Commission Chairman Omar Alieu Touray; and a representative of the African Union Commission. Several African Ministers of Foreign Affairs were also present.

Prominent diaspora figures added weight to the gathering, including actor Omar Sy, NBA Vice President Amadou Gallo Fall, and former basketball stars Joakim Noah, DeSagana Diop, and Matar Ndiaye.

In his keynote address, President Faye emphasized that memory should not be seen as a burden of the past but as a compass for shaping the future.

He underscored that the rally, organized within the framework of the African Union’s designation of 2025 as “The Year of Justice and Reparation,” seeks to transform historical memory into a driving force for justice, dignity, and solidarity between Africa and its global diasporas.