Ghana is leading a bold initiative at the United Nations on 25 March to officially declare the transatlantic slave trade a crime against humanity. This resolution, supported by the African Union (AU), seeks to compel former colonial powers, including Britain, to acknowledge their historical role and pay reparations.
The African Union, representing all 55 African countries, formalised this alliance during their recent summit. Caribbean nations have also joined the effort, advancing claims that could potentially amount to trillions in reparations.
Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa spoke at the UN summit, stating: “By standing together at the United Nations, we signal to the world that Africa will no longer allow the scale of its historical suffering to be minimised. We seek not only recognition, but a global legal framework that paves the way for healing, accountability, restitution and restorative justice.” He further emphasized that the resolution demands reparations, including the return of cultural treasures looted during colonial rule.
Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has also joined the reparations campaign, criticising the UK government for avoiding reparations discussions. At a conference in London, she urged ministers to confront the “enduring legacies of slavery and colonialism.” Ribeiro-Addy remarked, “Reparations are not about relitigating historic injustices, they are about remedying the deep-rooted inequalities that still shape our world today.”
Other European countries with colonial histories, such as France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Germany, are also facing increasing claims related to slavery and environmental damage.
The 25 March deadline sets the stage for a significant diplomatic confrontation. Should the resolution be adopted, it would establish the first global legal framework demanding reparations from former colonial powers to African and Caribbean nations. Ghana is at the forefront of this historic campaign, leading the AU’s 55 member states in a renewed effort to hold the world accountable for centuries of exploitation and suffering.
Originally published by UKNIP.
