Ghana seeks un recognition of slavery as crime against humanity

Ghana is set to table a landmark resolution at the United Nations General Assembly, calling for formal recognition of the transatlantic slave trade as a crime against humanity and the need for reparatory justice.

African countries unite behind historic initiative

The move, backed by the African Union and Caribbean Community, aims to acknowledge the centuries-old atrocity honestly and work collectively towards healing and justice.

Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama emphasized that the push for reparations is not about assigning collective guilt to present generations, but about understanding how historical injustices have shaped contemporary inequalities and contributing to a fairer, more inclusive global order.

He stressed that the international community has previously acknowledged the transatlantic slave trade as a crime, but more remains to be done to translate that recognition into meaningful dialogue and practical pathways for repair.

The proposed UN resolution seeks to engage states, institutions, scholars and communities in exploring constructive and forward-looking approaches to reparatory justice, including investments in education, health, cultural restoration and economic opportunity.

It also recognizes the human dimension of the history, including how systems of enslavement entrenched inequalities that affected generations, particularly women and families.

Ghana's initiative comes at a time when the world faces numerous interconnected challenges, including inequality, underdevelopment, climate change and global instability. Addressing historical injustices is seen as part of building trust and cooperation to confront these issues together.

With an African Union declaration affirming 2026-2035 as the Decade of Action on Reparations and African Heritage, the momentum is building for a global conversation on this critical topic.