By Love Wilhelmina Abanonave
Ghana has convened a Next Steps High-Level Consultative Conference focused on advancing reparatory justice, as international support for the issue continues to grow.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said Ghana has already won battles against slavery, colonialism and apartheid, and expressed confidence that the country would also prevail in the quest for reparatory justice.
“We have won the battle against slavery, colonialism and apartheid, and we are confident we shall win the battle for reparatory justice,” he said.
He explained that the conference, held in Accra, forms part of Ghana’s broader effort to transition from what he described as a “crime scene” of historical injustices, including the trans-Atlantic slave trade, racial injustice and colonialism, into a sanctuary for healing and reparatory justice.
The meeting brought together government officials, civil society groups, academics and international partners to map out concrete actions on reparations for slavery, colonialism and apartheid.
Mr. Ablakwa noted that reparatory justice is no longer a fringe topic.
“The growing international support for these conversations demonstrates that reparatory justice is no longer a peripheral issue but is now a legitimate global concern,” he stated.
The minister pointed to increasing international backing for the discussions as evidence that the issue has moved into mainstream global discourse. According to him, the formal communication received from the European Union expressing its willingness to work with Ghana on reparatory justice marks a significant diplomatic step.
He also acknowledged formal notifications from the governments of the Netherlands and Germany indicating their readiness to return cultural artefacts to Ghana.
The return of artefacts forms a key component of Ghana’s reparatory justice agenda. For decades, museums and institutions in Europe have held objects taken from Africa during colonial rule. The commitments by the Netherlands and Germany signal progress in restitution efforts that Ghana and other African nations have pursued through bilateral engagements and multilateral platforms such as the African Union.
Conference discussions centred on the next steps for policy coordination, legal frameworks and partnerships needed to pursue reparations beyond the return of artefacts.
Delegates examined models for development-focused reparations, educational initiatives and institutional reforms aimed at addressing the lasting impacts of historical exploitation.
The government maintains that reparatory justice is about more than compensation. It includes acknowledgement of historical wrongs, restoration of dignity and measures to address structural inequalities that have persisted since the colonial era.
