Rwanda envoy calls for focus on addressing legacy of colonialism

Discussions over colonial reparations should focus on addressing the lasting effects of the past rather than assigning blame, Rwanda’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan Charles Kayonga said on August 21.

Kayonga made the remarks at an international conference in Baku titled “101 Years of Belgian Colonial Injustices and the Struggle for Reparations,” organised by the Baku Initiative Group, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

“Colonialism was not limited to the occupation of territories. It created institutions that shaped political power, social identities, economic structures, as well as patterns of inclusion and exclusion in society.

“These structures have persisted in many forms of colonialism and continue to influence governance decades after formal colonialism ended. Colonialism did not mechanically determine political outcomes, but it created the structures through which political outcomes were shaped. To achieve genuine decolonisation and free ourselves from this process, these structures need to be brought to light,” Kayonga said.

He added that discussions on reparations should also help build conditions for future cooperation between countries.

By Sabina Mammadli