Africa is not a wounded continent that asks for assistance”: Faure Gnassingbé’s call at the 2025 Diaspora Summit

Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé played an active role at the 2025 Diaspora Summit in Accra, Ghana. The international gathering focused on highlighting the contribution of the African diaspora to economic, social, and cultural development, while promoting the dignity of Africans and Afro-descendants.

As guest of honor, President Gnassingbé emphasized that the summit was not a nostalgic call for redress, but rather a demand for justice and a catalyst for transformation for future generations. “Africa is not a wounded continent that asks for assistance,” he declared, urging Africa and its diaspora to take control of their destiny and build a sovereign and prosperous continent.

The Togolese leader highlighted the enduring impact of the transatlantic slave trade and colonization, which continue to shape global economic and technological inequalities. He argued that reparations are a strategic tool for Africa’s development, as important as investments in infrastructure, finance, or education. Reparations, he said, should take concrete forms: debt cancellation and restructuring, and the creation of multilateral funds for education, science, and innovation.

Beyond economic justice, Gnassingbé stressed the need for collective healing. “Healing means restoring trust among African peoples, between Africa and its diaspora, and between Africa and the world,” he said, emphasizing that reconciliation is also a strategic imperative for the continent’s stability and strength.

The President also called for a redefinition of Africa’s global position, including UN reform, permanent African representation on the Security Council, and international mechanisms to recognize colonial crimes and implement financial, symbolic, and institutional reparations.

The summit reaffirmed the diaspora’s central role as a strategic lever for Africa’s sovereignty and development. Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama praised Gnassingbé’s commitment to reparations and the empowerment of the African diaspora.

Through this summit, Togo and its diaspora reaffirm their commitment to a Pan-African vision: an Africa that decides, transforms, and thrives - ready to take its destiny into its own hands.