Nearly 700 people of African descent from various countries made a symbolic return to their ancestral homeland this Sunday, October 26, 2025, in Burkina Faso. This initiative, led by the African Diaspora Development Institute (ADDI), marks an important step in the reconnection of identity and memory between the diaspora and the African continent.

The delegation was warmly welcomed at Ouagadougou International Airport by a team from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by its Secretary General, Ambassador Hernman Yirigouin Toé.

The organizers justified the choice of Burkina Faso by the role of Pan-Africanist leader played by the President of Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, whose vision is a source of inspiration for people of African descent.

Speaking upon her arrival, ADDI President Dr. Arikana Chihombori said: "The President of Burkina Faso has declared that Burkina Faso is the home of all Africans. We have come to show our support and reaffirm our commitment to working towards the realization of his vision of a united and sovereign Africa."

Ambassador Hernman Yirigouin Toé, for his part, welcomed this move, seeing it as a gesture of reconciliation and a mark of confidence in the country. He emphasized that "this symbolic return places Burkina Faso as a place of welcome and hope for many Africans in the diaspora, in a context of pan-Africanist renaissance driven by the enlightened vision of HE Captain Ibrahim Traoré."

The program for this visit, which runs from October 26 to November 8, 2025, is rich and varied. It includes official meetings, conferences, workshops, as well as visits to historical and cultural sites across the country. The delegation will also participate in solidarity actions for internally displaced persons and will hold economic exchanges with the Burkinabe private sector.

Let us remember that Afrodescendants are the descendants of Africans forced into slavery and deported over several centuries, mainly to the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean.