President John Dramani Mahama has announced that Ghana is advancing efforts at the United Nations to secure global recognition of the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity.
In a statement referencing his address at the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly in September last year, President Mahama said processes are underway to table a resolution before the General Assembly in March.
“As I announced during the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September last year, I have initiated processes to table a resolution at the General Assembly in March this year, seeking global recognition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade as the gravest crime against humanity,” he said.
The President emphasised that the pursuit of reparatory justice requires collective resolve, drawing parallels with Africa’s struggle for independence.
“Reparatory justice will not be handed to us. Like independence, it must be secured through unity and determination,” he stated.
Delivering his report to the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, he noted that 2025, designated as the AU Year of Justice through Reparations, marked a significant turning point in the movement for redress.
He outlined measures taken so far, including the establishment of an AU Coordination Team and a Committee of Experts on Reparations, as well as engagement with global institutions such as the UNESCO. He added that discussions have been held at major international forums across four continents, reframing reparations as forward-looking tools for justice and equity.
“We have established the AU Coordination Team and Committee of Experts on Reparations, engaged global institutions from the UN to UNESCO, led conversations at major international fora across four continents, and reframed reparations as forward-looking instruments for justice and equity,” he said.
Despite the progress, President Mahama stressed that more work lies ahead and called on AU member states to strengthen institutional frameworks and pursue concrete outcomes.
“But our work is far from over. I called on all Member States to strengthen our institutions, establish national reparations commissions, and engage with the global community to secure apologies, restitution, and binding agreements,” he added.
The proposed UN resolution forms part of a broader continental effort to advance reparatory justice for Africans and people of African descent worldwide.
