Reparative justice must go beyond compensation to “resetting the world” – Kwesi Pratt Jnr.

Reparative justice must go beyond compensation to "reset the world" – Kwesi Pratt Jnr.

General Secretary of the Socialist Movement of Ghana, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., has argued that the campaign for reparative justice must extend beyond demands for financial compensation. Speaking at the "Africa’s Freedom Is In Our Hands" International Youth Forum, organized by the Pan-African Progressive Front (PPF), he stressed that reparations should aim to create an equitable world where individuals are treated equally, regardless of their race or geographical location. Pratt made clear that the campaign seeks "equal rights," not merely financial reparation.

For Pratt, reparative justice is a vital component of a larger struggle against the structures that sustain inequality and exploitation. He emphasized that true victory would be achieved by fundamentally reshaping the global order. "Our victory will come when we reset this world," he declared, advocating for a new international framework where all citizens are regarded as equal.

The reparations movement is also intimately connected to Africa's assertion of control over its natural resources and enhanced political influence within international institutions, according to Pratt. He asserted that African nations should not only aspire for the return of cultural artifacts or financial payments from Western countries as markers of success.

Instead, he urged for a comprehensive transformation, stating, "Our victory will come when we reset this world, when we build a new world in which all of the citizens, irrespective of their colour, irrespective of their geographical location, will be considered as equal citizens of this world."

Pratt further emphasized the necessity of stronger African unity. He called for a united Africa capable of acting collectively to defend its interests on the global stage.