UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent

The 5th Session of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent took place from 14 to 17 April 2026 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

Held under the theme “Expanding the human rights of people of African descent under the Second International Decade,” the Forum brought together states, civil society, experts, and communities to advance urgent conversations on reparatory justice, cultural restitution, and youth leadership.

During the Forum, we contributed to two side events that deepened the conversation on how historical and ongoing racial injustices continue to shape the lives of people of African descent across Africa, Europe, and the wider diaspora.

This in-person side event brought the Lumumba case into an international space for dialogue, accountability, and reparatory justice.

The case had largely unfolded within Belgium's political and judicial system. Yet its significance reached far beyond Belgium. It spoke to wider questions of political colonial crimes, state responsibility, historical truth, and reparations.

By placing the Lumumba case within these broader debates, the event supported its internationalization and strengthened global engagement in the pursuit of justice.

The discussion brought together members of the Lumumba family, legal representatives, international experts, and civil society actors to examine the legal and political dimensions of this historic case.

Speakers

• Yema Lumumba, Granddaughter of Patrice Lumumba
• Jehosheba Bennett, Legal Counsel to the Lumumba Family, Jus Cogens
• Makmid Kamara, Founder and Director, Reform Initiatives
• Dr. Ibrahima Guissé, Expert, UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and African Union Committee of Experts on Reparations
• Geneviève Kaninda, Advocacy and Policy Officer, African Futures Lab. Moderator

African Futures Lab joined Observatório da Branquitude (external link), The Guardian (external link), and Libera to address the many dimensions of reparations and the urgency of this global agenda.

The event examined how the legacies of slavery and colonialism continue to produce structural racism, poverty, and violence against Black communities across continents.

Speakers challenged the systems of privilege that continue to block global progress and called for concrete action to make reparatory justice a reality.

African Futures Lab’s Executive Director, Liliane Umubyeyi, PhD (external link), and Partnerships and Advocacy Officer, Hélène Himmer (external link), joined the panel and shared AfaLab’s perspective on justice, accountability, and structural change.