The 2025 theme of the year focuses on justice for Africans and people of African descent through reparations, aiming to address historical injustices via restitution and systemic change.

Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, regarded the resolution as a significant step forward in the pursuit of justice and emphasized Ghana’s leadership in the Pan-African movement.

The AU advocates for a coordinated approach to reparatory justice, addressing the lasting impacts of slavery and colonization on African societies and the diaspora.

On July 14, 2024, Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama, serving as the African Union's Champion for Reparatory Justice, emphasized the urgent need for Africa to restore its human dignity through collective efforts rooted in historical truth and moral responsibility.

During the AU's seventh Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, Mahama called for reparations from nations involved in the trans-Atlantic slave trade and colonization, highlighting reparations as a pathway to justice and progress.

He also urged for stronger global partnerships, especially with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), to bolster the reparations movement and promote a more equitable global order.

The AU extended the reparations agenda from 2026 to 2036, allowing for long-term strategies and resource mobilization to address historical injustices and foster systemic transformation.

This decision was announced during the summit, reflecting significant progress by the AU Commission and member states in advancing the reparations agenda.

Ghana and Togo announced plans to co-sponsor a high-level event at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025 to promote Africa's reparations message internationally.

The summit also approved the AU's 2026 Budget and adopted the SACA (Strengthening the African Capacity for Action) report, seen as promising steps for Africa's future.

Ablakwa announced the end of his tenure as Chair of the Ministerial Committee on Agenda 2063, with South Africa's Foreign Minister set to assume the role, during the AU Mid-Year Review.

Ablakwa described the summit outcomes as historic, emphasizing a collective determination among African nations to advance progress, quoting Dr. Kwame Nkrumah: 'Forward ever, backward never.'

He congratulated President Mahama for being entrusted by the 55-member African Union to lead on these efforts, underscoring the continent’s commitment to justice.