The Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Selma Malika Haddadi, has characterized 2025 as a pivotal milestone in the efforts to criminalize colonialism across Africa, praising Algeria’s significant contribution to redressing historical injustices committed against the continent.
In a statement to APS regarding the outcomes of the AU Summit (February 14-15), Haddadi reaffirmed that 2025 serves as a turning point for the criminalization of colonialism. She highlighted Algeria’s leadership in a major diplomatic and legal stride, which resulted in historic resolutions establishing a direct link between collective memory and international justice.
Haddadi noted that the “Algiers Declaration,” adopted during the International Conference on Colonial Crimes (30 November-1 December 2025), constitutes a major political, legal, and symbolic milestone.
The declaration defines colonialism as a crime against humanity, not subject to any statute of limitations. It calls also for material and moral reparations for past abuses and formally recognizes nuclear testing, specifically in southern Algeria, as a serious environmental and humanitarian crime requiring both remediation and compensation.
In the same context, Haddadi pointed to the landmark resolution adopted on 16 February 2025 during the 39th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government. Through this resolution, the AU officially classified slavery, forced deportation, and colonialism as crimes against humanity and acts of genocide committed against the peoples of Africa.
Besides, Haddadi voiced concern over the security challenges and instability facing various regions, stressing that “genuine opportunities exist to move past these crises and foster a path toward stability and development.”
