The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has adopted the Ghana-sponsored resolution recognising the transatlantic slave trade as the “gravest crime against humanity” and calling for reparations, despite opposition from some Western countries.
The resolution, tabled by President John Dramani Mahama, secured the support of 123 member states during Wednesday’s vote.
Three countries, including the United States and Israel, voted against it, while 52 abstained, among them are the United Kingdom and several European Union nations.
Although the resolution is not legally binding, it carries political weight and reflects growing global momentum around accountability and redress for the legacy of slavery.
Ghana argued that the measure was necessary due to the lasting effects of the transatlantic slave trade, during which at least 12.5 million Africans were forcibly taken and sold between the 15th and 19th centuries.
The country maintains that the impact of that era continues to shape inequalities seen today.
President Mahama, who played a leading role in advancing the resolution, described its adoption as a step toward healing and justice.
“The adoption of this resolution serves as a safeguard against forgetting,” he said. “Let it be recorded that when history beckoned, we did what was right for the memory of the millions who suffered the indignity of slavery.”
Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said the resolution opens the door for discussions on accountability and could lay the groundwork for a reparations framework.
“History does not disappear when ignored, truth does not weaken when delayed, crime does not rot, and justice does not expire with time,” he stated.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
