New York, May 30, 2025 (SPS) – The United Nations has settled the intense competition for its annual award named after South African leader Nelson Mandela in favor of candidates from Kenya and Canada.
Thus, the 2025 Mandela Prize was awarded to Brenda Reynolds from Canada and Kennedy Odede from Kenya, following the elimination of Moroccan nominee Amina Bouayach. The kingdom of Mohammed VI moved heaven and earth to secure the prize for her, given its significant moral symbolism and high humanitarian value, as well as the recognition it brings both to the recipient and their country. The award pertains to the humanitarian situation of a specific society during a defined period.
Morocco’s nomination of the head of the so-called "National Human Rights Council" was an attempt to cover up war crimes and crimes against humanity that it has continued to commit against the Sahrawi people since 1975.
The campaign led by Moroccan occupation diplomacy, aided by its old and new allies, its lobbying efforts, and its methods of buying influence, ended in failure—despite pushing Amina Bouayach to the final stage.
The exclusion of Amina Bouayach from the annual competition for the Nelson Mandela Prize, awarded by the United Nations—following the earlier elimination of Moroccan minister Latifa Akharbach by Algerian Ambassador Salma Haddadi during the race for the African Union Commission’s vice presidency—is not a mere coincidence. Rather, it is a direct result and a clear indicator of how Morocco’s image, stained with the blood of the Sahrawi people, leads to failure, condemnation, and denunciation.
There is no doubt that Morocco’s dark record—filled with aggression against neighboring peoples, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture, and unjust trials, particularly against the Sahrawi people—has been the driving force behind these repeated exclusions of Morocco and its nominees.
The heroes of the Gdeim Izik uprising, the martyrs of Agdez and Magouna, and the thousands who were tortured in secret detention centers or killed have prevented Morocco and Amina Bouayach from winning the Nelson Mandela Prize. Because the Morocco that Bouayach represents does not contribute to a better world—one where justice, human rights, and tolerance prevail.
Indeed, the United Nations announced on Wednesday that an Indigenous social worker from Canada and a social entrepreneur from Kenya have won the 2025 Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres will present the award to Brenda Reynolds and Kennedy Odede on July 18, which marks Nelson Mandela International Day.
It is worth noting that this prize, established in 2014, is awarded every five years to two individuals whose work reflects the legacy of the late South African president in leadership, humility, service, and cross-border unity.
In his statement, Mr. António Guterres said: "This year’s Mandela Prize winners embody the spirit of solidarity and possibility—reminding us that we all have the power to shape stronger communities and a better world."
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