CARICOM Chair Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, SC, Prime Minister of Barbados, has warmly welcomed the recent United Nations Declaration establishing a Second International Decade for People of African Descent, initiated on January 1, 2025.
In her inaugural statement as Chair, Prime Minister Mottley commended the Declaration, noting that it is a significant achievement underscoring the persistent advocacy of the Caribbean region. She highlighted key accomplishments from the first decade, including the global acknowledgment of a ten-point reparatory justice plan and the formation of the United Nations Permanent Forum for People of African Descent.
Mottley emphasized the necessity for ongoing efforts in this domain, stating,“…so much remains to be done in this area. We must continue to press the international community for a mature, face-to-face conversation at all levels, so that we may see them repair the damage from the exploitation through the immoral institutions of slavery and colonialism which our people suffered from.”
The Prime Minister also called upon the Caribbean call for the allocation of essential resources aimed at enhancing the dignity, safety, and living conditions for individuals of African descent globally. She remarked, “The spectacle of 600 million Africans without electricity in an age of [artificial intelligence] is in no way morally acceptable to us as a Community, which is part of the African diaspora that is the sixth region of Africa. In this regard, we will continue our work to strengthen our relationship with the African Union as a community of Caribbean people.”
The announcement of the second decade also received positive feedback from Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, the Chair of the CARICOM Reparations Commission (CRC). He stated, “I welcome the observance by the United Nations of a Second International Decade for People of African Descent for continued focused attention to the advancement of African people. This is a great outcome resulting from the concerted activism of civil society and Governments in the Americas and in Africa.”
The overarching theme of the Second Decade is “People of African descent: Recognition, Justice and Development.” The UN has indicated that this period will harness the resources of UN agencies and the wider international community to address the issues faced by people of African descent around the globe and to work toward ensuring the respect for, protection of, and fulfillment of all their human rights and fundamental freedoms.
The UN established The International Decade for People of African Descent, 2015–2024, in a General Assembly Resolution on December 23, 2013. However, the notion was almost immediately put forth that one decade was not enough to achieve full equality and justice, and to further promote the human rights of African descendants, and participation in society, by tackling the legacies of slavery and colonialism through concrete actions like reparatory justice.
The decision for a second decade was rooted in the acknowledgment that “more action is needed to combat racism and other intolerance.”
No economic improvement, no social improvement, mass incarceration still happening, all our governments still selling out to european & Chinese, RSS fighting war against Bawi people, racism stronger now than ever etc – what exactly you welcoming Miss Motley???
More stupid elitist propoganda to celebrate while our people still suffering. Anything them white people tell all you to say is that all you saying and on the ground we not seeing no change.
The only black/African leader that have right to talk now is Ibrahim Traore. The rest of all you is slave masters, shut all you mouth!