President John Dramani Mahama has described the United Nations General Assembly’s approval of a motion on slavery reparations as a historic milestone, cautioning that it marks only the beginning of a broader global struggle for justice.
The motion, tabled under Ghana’s leadership, was adopted on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, seeking formal recognition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade as the gravest crime ever committed against humanity, alongside renewed calls for reparatory justice.
Addressing the Assembly after the vote, President Mahama stressed that while the outcome is significant, it must lead to sustained international action.
“This is not the end. This is the beginning. What we’ve achieved today creates a platform for the struggle for reparative justice,” he stated.
He urged global stakeholders not to relent following the diplomatic success, emphasizing the need to build momentum toward tangible outcomes, including reparations, formal apologies, and comprehensive justice measures.
“We must take this success and begin to work so that those who denied our ancestors their humanity, those who denied our ancestors their dignity, can accept the truth that this is what happened,” he added.
President Mahama also rejected attempts to downplay or revise the history of slavery, insisting that the UN’s decision firmly establishes its severity.
“Today we’ve accepted that this was a grave crime against humanity — the gravest indeed,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of unity, the President described the achievement as a collective victory for Africa and people of African descent across the world, rather than a triumph for Ghana alone.
“This victory is not for Ghana. We did it for the whole of Africa and all people of African descent. If we keep this coalition, we will take the next steps together,” he noted.
He expressed confidence that sustained collaboration between African nations and the global diaspora would ultimately lead to the restoration of the dignity and humanity of enslaved ancestors.
“Today’s victory is to ensure that we do not forget, and will never forget. As long as this resolution has been passed, our ancestors will never, ever be forgotten,” President Mahama concluded.
