European governments must acknowledge and take responsibility for the enduring consequences of their colonial pasts, which continue to affect people of African descent both in Africa and throughout the diaspora, according to a Human Rights Watch report released on Monday.

This statement comes ahead of the 140th anniversary of the 1884 Berlin Africa Conference, a pivotal event where 19 European countries and the US convened to formalize and intensify Europe’s colonial domination of Africa worldwide. Held without African representation, the Berlin Africa Conference disregarded existing African geographical realities. As outlined in the 1885 General Act of the Berlin Conference, the agreements reached at this gathering laid the groundwork for the systematic division and exploitation of Africa’s lands and resources.

Almaz Teffera, a researcher on racism in Europe at HRW, emphasized the urgency of addressing these legacies,stating ,

“The passage of so many years has not ended the need for European governments to address their colonial legacies and to create victim-centered reparations processes grounded in international human rights law with meaningful participation of affected communities.”

The push for reparations has recently gained momentum. In November 2023, the African Union convened a conference in Accra, leading to a proclamation for reparative justice and an official designation of 2025 as the Year for Justice for Africa Through Reparations. The African Union emphasized that any reparative efforts should prioritize the voices and needs of those directly affected. Similarly, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has advocated for a renewed focus on reparations, stressing the importance of acknowledging historical injustices and taking concrete actions to address the continuing racial inequities rooted in colonialism.

HRW emphasized the urgency of addressing colonial legacies, stressing that confronting the historical and ongoing effects of colonialism is not optional for European governments, but a legal obligation under international human rights law.

Furthermore, the European Union has begun to confront the legacy of colonialism. In 2019, the European Parliament passed a Resolution on the Fundamental Rights of People of African Descent, which called for a comprehensive examination of colonialism and slavery, recognizing their enduring and harmful effects on people of African descent. Additionally, the EU launched an ambitious anti-racism action plan for 2020-2025, which explicitly acknowledges that colonialism is entrenched in European history and continues to have significant and far-reaching consequences for contemporary society.

Although the European Parliament has discussed reparations, including a proposed draft resolution on reparatory justice and sustainable development, the initiative stalled before the June 2024 elections. Similar discussions are underway in the UK Parliament, where Bell Ribeiro-Addy, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Afrikan Reparations, has been a vocal advocate for addressing colonial legacies. Ribeiro-Addy will deliver the opening address at the Dekoloniale Berlin Africa Conference.

The Dekoloniale Berlin Africa Conference 2024, taking place from November 14-16, is currently underway and brings together a diverse group of representatives from countries that were, and continue to be, affected by the enduring legacy of European colonialism.