The African Union formally joined a transatlantic campaign seeking reparations from Britain and other former European colonial powers for slavery, imperialism and what leaders called enduring systemic injustice.

At a summit in Addis Ababa with Caribbean representatives, the AU said it would coordinate with the Caribbean Community (Caricom) to press for "meaningful reparations" that include financial compensation, the return of cultural artefacts and reforms to global economic and climate systems. Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, chair of the African Union Commission, said the two regions would work together "to honour our ancestors, to uplift our descendants and reclaim our shared destiny in freedom, justice and unity."

The AU, which represents 55 member states, announced the move as part of its declared "Year of Reparations" and said it will begin drafting its own list of demands. AU officials said one of its specialist branches has worked on the issue for about eight months but acknowledged that policy details remain unfinished.

Caricom, a 15-member organisation of Caribbean states, has already laid out a formal 10-point plan seeking trillions of dollars in compensation for centuries of slavery and colonial exploitation. Its demands include financial payments, formal apologies, debt relief and investment in education and development. No former colonial power has agreed to such payments to date.

Officials at the Addis Ababa summit identified a range of potential targets for claims, including Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium and Germany — nations that controlled large parts of Africa during the colonial era. Leaders framed reparations broadly, extending beyond direct restitution for slavery to include the return of cultural objects, systemic reform of international economic arrangements and compensation tied to climate-change impacts attributable to industrialised countries in the Global North.

Some Caribbean states have already pursued alternative avenues for redress, filing claims against institutions rather than sovereign governments. Grenada has petitioned the Bank of England over historic links to a plantation on the island, and Jamaica has discussed approaches involving King Charles, its constitutional monarch. Several Caribbean governments have also targeted universities and financial institutions that benefited from the slave trade.

In Europe, responses have been mixed. The United Kingdom has repeatedly rejected calls for reparations from successive governments, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer has rejected such demands in line with predecessors. France and other European governments have likewise declined to agree to direct compensation. A planned Caricom reparations forum in the UK, previously associated with Foreign Secretary David Lammy, was delayed amid the Israel-Iran conflict, AU officials said.

Institutions including museums have started to respond to calls for the return of artefacts. British museums have in recent years returned or loaned items such as Benin Bronzes, Ashanti gold and sacred Ethiopian objects, though many restitutions have been temporary or subject to negotiation. Experts advising the AU described the restitution of stolen artefacts as part of cultural restoration and healing.

African and Caribbean leaders said ongoing negotiations, joint diplomacy and aligned legal and political strategies are intended to increase pressure on former colonial powers and relevant institutions. The AU stressed that the process is in early stages and that formal claims and procedures would be developed collectively by member states.

Talks between Caribbean and African leaders on reparatory justice intensified in 2023, and the two regions now aim to present a united front in international forums and bilateral discussions. AU officials and advisers said any outcomes will be guided by member states' decisions and international law.

Policy-makers and legal advisers expect the next phase to include drafting specific demands, identifying legal pathways for claims, and continued diplomatic engagement with former colonial governments and institutions. No timeline was announced for submission of formal claims or for coordinated legal action.