From 30 September to 2 October 2025, Kinshasa hosts the 9th edition of the African Forum on Transitional Justice, organized by the African Union’s Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (AUC-DPAPS) and the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR).
The European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) actively participates alongside national institutions, researchers, practitioners, and civil society organizations.
This edition highlights a central and unprecedented theme:
“Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations.”
Over three days, the Forum brings together representatives of African Union member states, national human rights institutions, networks of victims and survivors, as well as international experts. It serves as a multi-stakeholder platform to assess progress and address the challenges related to transitional justice mechanisms across the continent.
Key issues on the agenda include:
- the role of reparations as a driver of justice, healing, and transformation,
- the central place of victims and survivors,
- the recognition of women and youth as key actors for peace and reconstruction,
- the development of inclusive models tailored to African contexts.
The Forum’s work culminates in the adoption of the Kinshasa Declaration on Reparations, a landmark policy document designed to guide future continental policies.
Speaking to LD News, Fabio Bargiacchi, ECES Executive Director, expresses his satisfaction with ECES’s contribution to this major gathering of dialogue and exchange, which brings together diverse experiences from across the continent. He underlines the importance of such initiatives in advancing transitional justice and highlights the financial support provided by the Government of Italy and the European Union, whose engagement reinforces the impact and outreach of the Forum.
“This Forum represents a crucial step in strengthening African solidarity and promoting truly reparative justice, rooted in the history, realities, and aspirations of the continent’s peoples,” he adds.
Through its participation, ECES reaffirms its commitment alongside African institutions to advancing reparative justice in the service of dignity, peace, and sustainable transformation.
2 October 2025
