The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a landmark resolution, spearheaded by Ghana, formally recognising slavery and the transatlantic slave trade as one of the gravest injustices against humanity and calling for reparatory justice.
The resolution, approved on Wednesday, marks a significant diplomatic milestone for Ghana and reflects growing global momentum to confront the historical atrocities of slavery and their lasting impact.
A total of 123 member states voted in favour, with three against and 53 abstentions.
The text describes the transatlantic slave trade as a “horrific tragedy” that subjected millions of Africans and people of African descent to centuries of violence, exploitation, and suffering. It further acknowledges that the legacy of slavery continues to shape systemic inequalities, racial discrimination, and developmental challenges across Africa and the diaspora.
Central to the resolution is a call for reparatory justice. It urges former slave-trading nations to engage African countries and the African Union in meaningful dialogue to address historical injustices. While it stops short of prescribing a specific framework, the resolution encourages practical steps such as financial compensation, debt relief, development support, and the return of looted cultural artefacts.
Ghana’s delegation, led by President John Dramani Mahama, described the outcome as a historic step in the global quest for recognition and justice. Officials said the resolution establishes a clear moral and political obligation for former colonial and slave-trading powers to confront their past.
Speaking to the media in New York after the vote, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa hailed the decision as a defining moment.
“Through this resolution, the world has spoken the truth,” he said, adding that while history cannot be changed, “we can change how it is told going forward.”
The resolution received strong backing from African and Caribbean nations, many of which have long advocated for reparations. Supporters described the outcome as a turning point, shifting global discourse from symbolic recognition to concrete demands for justice and accountability.
