The Republic of Ghana is pushing the United Nations to recognize the Transatlantic Slave Trade as a crime against humanity:
John Mahama announced that Ghana will formally submit a resolution to the United Nations General Assembly seeking to have the transatlantic slave trade and slavery recognised as a crime against humanity.
The announcement by the President came at the 39th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, where he said the initiative is part of a broader push for reparatory justice, to acknowledge the historical truth, support reconciliation, and lay a foundation for lasting equality.
The government frames this as not just symbolic recognition but a legal and moral step toward accountability and genuine reconciliation for the profound harms caused by centuries of enslavement.
Ghana plans to present the resolution to the UN General Assembly in March 2026, coinciding with the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
The government has also sought backing from African Union member states and international partners to build support for the initiative ahead of formal tabling.
This effort reflects ongoing international advocacy by African states and diaspora organisations for historical recognition and reparations for the transatlantic slave trade.
Previous Pan-African summits have underscored reparations as a priority, including the Accra Reparations Conference and the establishment of a Global Reparation Fund.
The proposal positions the transatlantic slave trade not only as a historical atrocity but as a foundational injustice with lasting global socio-economic consequences.
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