As hotbeds of tension multiply across the continent from Bamako to Mogadishu, from Juba to Tripoli, and from Bangui to Goma, AU heads of state and government are meeting in Addis Ababa for a summit.

Taking place in Addis Ababa under the theme “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations”, this session of the Ordinary Summit of the Union crystallizes a historic quest for recognition and reparation for the injustices inflicted during the transatlantic slave trade and colonization. As a symbol of resistance and independence, Ethiopia gives particular resonance to this event, dedicated to exploring legal, economic and moral mechanisms for reparation. Ahead, the 46th session of the Executive Council of the African Union (12-13 February 2025) opened innovative avenues for restitutive justice, with a focus on economic, educational and cultural reforms. The election of Mahamoud Ali Youssouf of Djibouti as Chairperson of the AU Commission illustrates a dynamic of renewal and balanced representation of small African island nations, endorsed by the Heads of State on 15 and 16 February. These debates also question the use of a pan-African perspective in the fight against Western neocolonialism. At the intersection of African unity and realpolitik , these events determine the capacity of the African Union to assert itself on the international scene, while confronting the political and economic complexity of the theme of reparations in the face of the hesitation of the former colonial powers. The summit therefore calls on the AU to harmonize its pan-African aspirations and geopolitical constraints, thus strengthening its institutions for a better defense of African interests and its diaspora.

However, the election and swearing-in of Mahamoud Ali Youssouf as head of the AU Commission, surpassing renowned candidates from Madagascar (Richard Randriamandrato) and Kenya (Raila Odinga), all trained in Western academic settings, prompt Pan-Africanists to question the new political line of the continental organization. It also raises questions about its implications for the future of the Commission, particularly with regard to the promotion of Pan-Africanism and the fight against neocolonialism. Is this a new era of leadership that could transform the functioning of this crucial body?

Historical and symbolic context

The 38th edition of the ordinary summit of the African Union is anchored in a history marked by resilience in the face of trials and by the aspiration for unity. It is held in a changing world, where Africa, rich in its resources and its youth, seeks to assert its role while overcoming its fractures. Symbolically, it embodies the pan-African dream of self-determination and solidarity, carried by past struggles and future hopes. This summit is a call to transform challenges (climatic, economic, political) into opportunities, drawing on the collective memory and creativity of a continent in motion. While it reflects both persistent divisions and the quest for a common destiny, where Africa reinvents itself, united and determined, in the face of global challenges, the leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Niger and Gabon were not allowed to attend. Mahamat Déby, an influential advocate of........

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