Ghana's reparations push gains AU support ahead of UN vote
Ghana’s campaign to secure global recognition and reparations for the transatlantic slave trade has received unanimous backing from African Union (AU) member states and cleared the way for a resolution to be tabled at the United Nations General Assembly next month.
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced that all AU countries had endorsed President John Dramani Mahama’s initiative to declare the transatlantic slave trade the gravest crime against humanity and to demand reparations, including the return of looted cultural artefacts.
President Mahama, who serves as the AU Champion on Reparations, is expected to seek similar support at the 50th CARICOM Summit on February 24, 2026. The resolution is scheduled to be presented at the UN General Assembly on March 25.
“All peoples of African descent have been waiting for this day. The truth cannot be buried. The legal foundations are sound; the moral imperative is undeniable,” the president is quoted.
He added, “This marked a historic turning point in the life of our Union, not as a symbolic or commemorative act, but as a strategic and international commitment.”
Ablakwa described the AU’s endorsement as a “historic milestone,” praising diplomatic efforts and collaboration with global experts and activists to advance the initiative.
In a related development, President Mahama, speaking at a high-level summit in Addis Ababa on February 13, urged the international community to go beyond what he described as “ceremonial language” on Africa’s historical injustices.
He called for a move from symbolic recognition to “binding frameworks” with clear timelines to address the enduring economic and social consequences of slavery and colonial exploitation.
In 2015, the African Union worked with UNESCO and the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent to ensure Africa’s reparations agenda influences global discussions on returning stolen cultural items.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
