President John Mahama has announced that Ghana will host a high-level side event during the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September as part of efforts to advance the global campaign for reparatory justice.
The President, who is the African Union Champion for Reparations, disclosed this on his Facebook page on Sunday, August 31, upon his return from briefing his colleagues at the 21st Extraordinary AU Summit in Luanda, Angola, on developments in the international campaign for reparations.
President Mahama said the event will provide an opportunity for Ghana to receive progress reports from the various panels established to advance the reparatory justice agenda.
“Ghana will host a high-level side event during the 81st UN General Assembly Session this September to receive progress reports from our established panels,” he posted.
President Mahama added that he has invited heads of state and government to participate in the high-level UN side event as Ghana seeks to build broader international support for the reparatory justice campaign.
He said the initiative follows the historic UN General Assembly Resolution on reparatory justice, which was achieved through collaboration among the African Union, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the African Diaspora.
According to President Mahama, the resolution marked an important milestone in the global recognition of the historical injustices associated with the enslavement of Africans.
“In June this year, we convened the Next Steps Conference in Accra. We expanded our mandate to include indentured labour as a historical injustice. We also established a High-Level Advisory Council on Reparatory Justice, a Global Experts Panel on the Restitution of Cultural Heritage, and a Global Legal Panel on Reparatory Justice.”
President Mahama said the issue of reparations, once considered a taboo subject, is increasingly becoming part of global diplomatic discussions.
He cited the return of looted African artefacts, legislative changes such as the repeal of France’s Code Noir, and historical acknowledgements and commitments by global institutions as signs of growing momentum.
“A topic once considered taboo is now reshaping global diplomacy,” President Mahama said.
He said Ghana remains committed to leading efforts for justice, restitution and dignity for Africa and people of African descent around the world.
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