PPF urges African youth to demand debt cancellation and reparations

Humphrey Abbey Quaye, coordinator of the Pan-African Progressive Front, urged African youth to push for debt cancellation and reparations during the Youth Forum on Debt and Reparations at the University of Ghana. He explained that the continent's debt burden stems from centuries of slavery, colonial exploitation, and neocolonial control.

The forum, held under the theme "Reclaiming Africa's Wealth, Resisting Neocolonial Bondage," took place in Accra to honor the city's historical role in the Pan-African struggle, particularly Ghana's independence linked to total African liberation.

Quaye argued that Africa's current debt crisis is not merely due to poor economic management but is a continuation of exploitation associated with slavery, colonialism, neocolonialism, and imperialism. He emphasized that the continent has extracted labor, knowledge, land, and mineral resources over centuries without compensation, leading to a situation where Africa now borrows money and pays interest on wealth taken from it.

The PPF, Quaye stated, aims to promote reparative justice, which he described as the core of the organization's mission. The organization has made significant progress in recent months, including establishing an international headquarters in Accra and convening a virtual conference involving over 60 Pan-African formations from 32 countries.

Quaye highlighted the PPF's international conference in Accra, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Fifth Pan-African Congress. He emphasized that the conference focused on securing economic independence, attracting over 200 delegates from 57 countries, including notable figures like Irvin Jim, Martin Fayulu, Fred M’membe, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, and Professor Akua Britwum.

The Accra Declaration, produced at the conference, outlines a programme for Africa's liberation through resource sovereignty, industrialization, agricultural transformation, and financial independence. Key mechanisms include a proposed Joint Institute for the Assessment of Damage and Documentation of the Colonial Legacy, a Pan-African Reparations Justice Fund, and a demand for the return of stolen African cultural artefacts.

Quaye urged African youth to inherit the Pan-African struggle of previous generations and apply their determination to current economic challenges. He emphasized the need to address issues such as student loans, graduate unemployment, and the influence of the IMF on national budgets, all of which he linked to Africa's debt trap.

Quaye called for the cancellation of "odious debt" and the payment of "reparatory debt," urging the forum to formulate a Youth Chapter of the Accra Declaration to examine reparations in relation to contemporary issues like climate justice, technological sovereignty, and the future of young Africans.