The Anglican Communion’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, based in Geneva, the Revd Glen Ruffle, attended the UN Permanent Forum for People of African Descent in April. Here, he writes about the Forum and how delegates from the Anglican Communion contributed.

Black Americans are twice as likely as white Americans to be unemployed. $5 trillion could be added to the US economy by 2029 if differences in wages, education, housing and investment based on race were eradicated.[1] 45% of people of African descent in Europe have experienced racism in the past five years. Most of our phones are made exploiting resources from the Democratic Republic of Congo, yet the Congolese people themselves remain in abject poverty.

With this information in our ears, the UN Permanent Forum for People of African Descent (the Forum) began in Geneva on 16th April 2024, with “justice” and “reparations” being key summary words. There was a strong sense of unity, as the many nations gathered united behind their common African descent.

Anglican representatives attended the Forum, exploring how the global Communion might be more involved in future years. They included representatives from the Presiding Bishop’s staff of The Episcopal Church to explore connections between the Forum dialogue and the Church’s ministries and positions on the variety of critical concerns discussed, and to assess the potential for deeper future engagement. 

The need for reparations and breaking the structural oppression of historic slavery and modern international finance were key aspects of the Forum. Anger at the injustices of the current world order, built on the legacy of slavery, was evident in most speeches.

The Forum began with the President of the UN General Assembly, Dennis Francis, reaffirming work to end racism in all of its forms.

There was a standing ovation for Anielle Franco, Minister of Racial Equality in Brazil, as she spoke passionately that no country is free until everyone is free, and that there is no development of any kind – economic, political or social – without racial equality. It became clear that Brazil is a country leading the march to improve the standing of and justice for those of African descent worldwide.

The Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, noted the worse health outcomes for those of African descent globally, and reassured delegates of WHO's work to address these health inequalities.

After deliberations, the outcomes of the Forum were given. There were many calls, backed by High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, for a second ‘Decade for People of African Descent’, as there is still so much to be achieved.

The Forum spoke clearly of reparations as being restorative justice for slavery, with the tone very much 'when', not 'if'. It was noted that the African Union in 2025 is setting justice and reparations for those of African descent as its theme, and that climate justice is heavily connected to racial justice: countries with high numbers of Africans or African-descendants are suffering the brunt of a changing climate.

The suffering of Haiti came to the fore many times: starting as a state with a slave revolution, a revolution in favour of human rights, Haiti has since suffered international isolation, huge debt repayments, invasion, a dictatorship and coup, and then an earthquake, before we even get to the current troubles. The structural and historic effects of colonisation and slavery were argued as playing heavily on the current misery of that state. Calls came for international aid alongside reparations and restitution specially dedicated for Haitian people.

Forum Rapporteur Michael McEachrane led calls for abolition of the vetoes of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, and for there to be a permanent African member on the Council. He also joined calls for fundamental reform of the international financial architecture, that leaves so many African states indebted, and works against those of darker skin. There were also calls for the creation of a reparation fund and an international tribunal to independently assess reparation payments.

Much comes down to money, as there was limited budget for the Forum and speakers urged states to put actions behind their words on reparations.

In the Anglican Communion, the Church of Englandhas taken steps to create a £100 million fund for healing, repair and justice as part of its reckoning with the legacy of links between the Church Commissioners and African chattel enslavement.  In 2023, The Codrington Trust and USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel) announced the Renewal and Reconciliation: The Codrington Reparations Project. There are similar initiatives underway through Viriginia Theology Seminary and other Anglican institutions in the US. Much more remains to be done. To find out more contact [email protected]