AFRICAN leaders have adopted a resolution describing the transatlantic slave trade and colonisation as crimes against humanity.

Agreed at the end of the 39th African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa, Tanzania, on Sunday, the resolution also called for an end to Israel’s genocide against the Palestinians.

It designated November 30 as the “African Day of Tribute to African Martyrs and Victims of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, Colonisation and Apartheid.”

The declaration came a day after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave a startling speech at the Munich Security Conference extolling the virtues of the empires built by European states from the 15th century on, and attacked “communist revolutions and anti-colonial uprisings” for breaking them up.

The wide-ranging resolution expressed “deep concern over the persistence of conflicts, terrorism and violent extremism, unconstitutional changes of government, and humanitarian crises in parts of the continent.”

Following criticism of the AU for failing to stem the number of military coups on the continent, some as in the Sahel with an anti-colonial character, the resolution said the regional bloc had “zero tolerance for unconstitutional changes of government” and underlined its determination to “silence the guns in Africa.” 

The AU confirmed its determination to continue to campaign for the reform of international institutions, such as the United Nations, saying it demanded “equitable representation of Africa in global governance institutions.”

This followed UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres calling on Friday or urgent reform of the world body.

Mr Guterres described the absence of permanent African seats on the UN security council as “indefensible.”

The summit welcomed initiatives aimed at mobilising resources for infrastructure, energy, water and sanitation, and climate adaptation programmes as the continent continues to be hit hard by the climate emergency.

In the wake of the trade war unleashed by US President Donald Trump, African nations have been forced to identify ways of diversifying their trading links. 

China announced on Sunday that it was scrapping all tariffs for the entire African continent, except Eswatini — excluded due to its recognition of the breakaway Chinese province of Taiwan.

The AU said today that it was pleased with progress being made on introducing the African Continental Free Trade Area and called on member states to “accelerate implementation to boost intra-African trade, industrialisation and value addition.”