*The United Nations General Assembly has recognized the transatlantic slave trade as “the gravest crime against humanity” in a resolution proposed by Ghana. The measure urges member states to consider apologizing for the slave trade and contributing to a reparations fund, though no specific sums were outlined.
According to the BBC, the vote passed with 123 countries in favor, three against—the United States, Israel, and Argentina—and 52 abstentions, including the UK and EU member states. While General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, they carry significant weight in shaping global opinion.
Ghana’s President John Mahama described the vote as a step to honor the millions who suffered and to address the lingering effects of slavery. “Let it be recorded that when history beckoned, we did what was right for the memory of the millions who suffered the indignity of the slave trade and those who continue to suffer racial discrimination,” Ghana’s President John Mahama told the assembly ahead of the vote. ”The adoption of this resolution serves as a safeguard against forgetting. It also challenges the enduring scars of slavery,” he said.
Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa emphasized that Ghana’s demand for reparations is not personal but aimed at justice for victims. He called for support through educational and endowment funds and skills training, highlighting that many generations continue to suffer exclusion and racial inequalities as a result of slavery.
The resolution, supported by the African Union and Caribbean Community, also notes the persistent consequences of slavery, including underdevelopment and systemic inequality affecting Africans and their descendants worldwide. Between 1500 and 1800, an estimated 12–15 million Africans were captured and transported to the Americas, with over two million dying during the journey.
The UK acknowledged the historical harm but criticized the resolution’s wording and legal basis. The US rejected any legal right to reparations for historical wrongs, warning against using historical injustices to redistribute modern resources.
In addition, the resolution calls for the return of cultural artifacts looted during the colonial era. Ablakwa said, “All those artefacts looted for many centuries into the colonial era ought to be returned,” citing their cultural, heritage, and spiritual significance.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Ghana Pushes UN Resolution on Slave Trade Reparations
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