Ghana’s resolution declaring the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity has been overwhelmingly adopted by the United Nations General Assembly.
Out of 178 member states, 123 voted in favour, three opposed, and 52 abstained.
The resolution coincides with the International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Transatlantic Trafficking of Africans on March 25.
Speaking ahead of the voting, President John Dramani Mahama, who formally presented the resolution, described it as a pathway to healing and justice for Africa and the African diaspora.
“This current draft resolution is a result of months of consultation and consensus building… with the sole aim of achieving a united front and grounding the final outcome in truth, compassion and moral conscience,” he said.
He added that the adoption of the resolution preserves the memory of slavery while confronting its lingering legacy.
“The adoption of this resolution serves as a safeguard against forgetting… we come together in solemn solidarity to affirm truth and pursue a route to healing and reparative justice,” Mahama stated.
Mr. Mahama further urged UN member states to take a collective moral stance on slavery’s historical injustices.
He stressed that the resolution is not only about remembrance but also about setting the stage for reparatory justice across the globe.
