Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations – Report of the Ninth African Transitional Justice Forum

The ninth edition of the African Transitional Justice Forum was convened from 30 September to 2 October 2025 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), under the theme "Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations." Organised by the African Union Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (AU-DPAPS) and the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) with support from the European Union and other partners,1 the Forum brought together stakeholders ranging from international actors to continental and regional actors, member state representatives, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society organisations (CSOs), and transitional justice practitioners and academics. The Forum was convened as part of the Initiative for Transitional Justice in Africa project, being implemented by a consortium comprised of CSVR, the International Centre for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), and the Africa Transitional Justice Legacy Fund (ATJLF). The project seeks to facilitate the domestication of the African Union Transitional Justice Policy (AUTJP) by supporting the implementation of the AUTJP roadmap through technical assistance, knowledge production, and management of, and support for, civil society across Africa. The theme of the 2025 Forum was aligned with the African Union's 2025 Theme of the Year, which calls for renewed continental reflection on justice, historical redress and the legacies of colonialism and slavery affecting Africans and people of African descent globally. Within this context, the focus on reparations provided a timely platform for African policymakers, practitioners and civil society actors to engage in dialogue on how reparative justice can address both historical injustices and contemporary harms. By situating reparations within the broader transitional justice agenda, the Forum sought to deepen understanding of reparations beyond redress for past violations but also as a pathway toward dignity, social cohesion, and sustainable development across the continent.