Ghana to Seek UN Recognition of Slave Trade as Crime
Why this is here: The resolution builds upon decades of advocacy, including the CARICOM Reparations Commission’s development of a framework for restorative justice, demonstrating a sustained international effort toward addressing the legacy of slavery.
Ghana will present a resolution to the United Nations General Assembly on March 25th. The resolution asks for formal recognition of the transatlantic slave trade and enslavement of Africans as a crime against humanity. Ghana also seeks to begin a process of reparations for the historical injustice.
This initiative has support from the African Union, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and a growing coalition of countries. Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama linked this effort to the nation’s 1957 independence. He stated that political independence remains incomplete without broader systemic change.
Previous declarations, including the 1993 Abuja Declaration and the 2023 Accra Declaration, have already acknowledged the slave trade as a crime. The African Union designated 2026-2035 as a decade for action on reparations and African heritage.