President John Dramani Mahama has renewed Ghana’s call for reparatory justice for Africans and people of African descent.
Speaking at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Mahama called on the international community to move beyond acknowledging the history of slavery.
He said there must also be action to address its lasting consequences. Mahama recalled Ghana’s role in securing UN Resolution A/RES/80/250 on March 25, 2026.
According to the President, 123 countries voted to recognise the transatlantic slave trade and chattel enslavement as the gravest crimes against humanity.
“That resolution was not a mere gesture,” Mahama told world leaders.
He said the legacy of slavery continues to affect Africa through systemic racism and economic marginalisation.
He also pointed to what he described as an unequal global financial system. Mahama called for reforms to global trade and financial systems.
He cited unfair trade regimes, resource extraction and high borrowing costs among the challenges facing African countries.
He also raised concerns about Africa’s continued export of raw materials without enough local processing and value addition.
“But real repair demands structural transformation,” he said.
The President said Ghana welcomed moves by the Netherlands, Germany and France to engage in discussions on reparatory justice.
He also called for greater investment in Africa’s industrialization and economic development.
“Africa does not seek charity. Africa seeks equal partnership anchored in mutual respect,” Mahama said.
Ghana has continued to place reparatory justice and the return of African cultural heritage among its priorities in its international engagement.
Mahama’s remarks at the UN form part of Ghana’s broader push for greater recognition of the historical and continuing effects of the transatlantic slave trade.
