Accra: The Minister of State and Head of the Civil Office of the President of the Republic, Dionisio Fonseca, advocated on Thursday in Accra, Ghana, for the creation of an international fund for reparative justice, supported by countries that benefited from slavery, under the auspices of the United Nations (UN). According to Angola Press News Agency, the fund would be used to finance programs for human development, education, health, and the reduction of structural inequalities in African and Afro-descendant communities. Speaking at the High-Level Consultative Conference on the Next Steps of the Historic Resolution A/RES/80/250 of the United Nations General Assembly, Fonseca explained the fund's critical role in addressing historical injustices. The Minister of State, representing President Joo Lourenço, urged the establishment of an international mechanism to commemorate slavery and colonialism. This mechanism would systematize historical evidence, promote institutional recognition, and support national pr ocesses. Fonseca also proposed the restitution and repatriation of African cultural heritage currently held outside the continent, emphasizing cooperation and historical justice. Angola is advocating for a global platform for reparative justice that articulates memory, restitution, and institutional capacity building. The platform would also focus on reforming international governance, strengthening cooperation between the African Union and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and highlighting the United Nations' mobilizing role. Fonseca emphasized the progressive restitution of African heritage removed from the continent and the need for this agenda to correct historical imbalances in international decision-making. He called for global reparative education initiatives, integrating the history of slavery into educational curricula, and supporting academic production in this field. The minister highlighted the necessity of international economic, technical, and technological capacity-building programs, focusi ng on youth, women, innovation, and entrepreneurship. He reiterated the need for reform of the UN Security Council to include African countries as permanent members, stressing the historical significance for Angola, given its central role in the transatlantic slave trade. Fonseca recalled that Luanda and Benguela were key ports for the transatlantic slave trade, stressing that Angola was a major region of origin for trafficked individuals. He articulated the importance of this issue for Angolan national memory and historical identity, linking it to moral responsibility towards ancestors and future generations. In his closing remarks, Fonseca emphasized the importance of creating monitoring mechanisms and fostering cooperation between African states, regional organizations, academia, and civil society. He expressed hope that the Accra meeting would strengthen African and global unity, deepen cooperation with the diaspora, and consolidate a respected international voice. "May we honor the memory of those who suffered, not only with words, but with consequential decisions. And may our generation assume, with courage and clarity, the historical responsibility of building a more just, balanced, and humane future," he concluded.
