In a stirring address that echoed centuries of suppressed voices, Colombia’s first Black woman Vice President, Francia Márquez, stood before a global audience at the United Nations this week and called on former colonial powers to take responsibility for their role in slavery — not just through words, but through reparations.
Márquez, 43, who has long been an outspoken advocate for racial justice and the rights of Afro-descendant communities, used her opening speech at the fourth session of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent to make a passionate appeal for the creation of a global reparations fund. Her message was clear: the time for apologies has long passed — now is the time for action.
“Colonial states, states that fostered… that form of domination based on the definition of race have to assume the responsibility of restoring the human dignity of people of African descent,” she declared, urging accountability for the pain, exploitation, and intergenerational trauma left in the wake of the transatlantic slave trade.
From the 15th to the 19th century, over 10 million Africans were violently uprooted and shipped across the Atlantic as cargo. Colombia, where Márquez was born and raised, was one of the destinations for this human trafficking, receiving an estimated 250,000 enslaved Africans. While centuries have passed, the Vice President made it painfully clear that the legacy of that era continues to shape the lives of millions.
“In my country, we still feel the damage,” she said, describing how Afro-Colombian communities remain deeply marginalized — often lacking access to quality education, healthcare, housing, and basic infrastructure. “We continue to experience the consequences of that system.”
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Her words struck a chord, particularly in the context of growing global calls for reparatory justice. Across Africa and the Caribbean, leaders and activists have increasingly demanded that former colonial empires acknowledge — and pay for — the wealth they accumulated at the expense of Black lives. While critics argue that today’s governments shouldn’t be held accountable for the actions of their ancestors, Márquez and others argue the benefits of slavery still ripple through modern institutions, while its damage remains unhealed.
The UN forum, held from April 14 to 17, brought together global leaders and thinkers under the theme: “Africa and people of African descent: United for reparatory justice in the age of Artificial Intelligence.” The theme reflects a growing concern that emerging technologies, if left unchecked, may further entrench historical inequalities.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres also addressed this risk, warning that artificial intelligence — hailed as one of the greatest innovations of our time — often mirrors the very same racial biases that have long plagued society. “Even AI, which holds such promise for humanity, too often mirrors and amplifies the same inequalities and racial biases that have plagued us for centuries,” he said.
As the forum continues, Márquez’s powerful call for justice serves as both a reminder and a reckoning. For many, her speech wasn’t just about history — it was about unfinished business, about acknowledging harm, and about ensuring that those harmed are finally seen, heard, and restored.
