President John Dramani Mahama has pledged to push for concrete reparative action following the adoption of a landmark United Nations resolution declaring the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity.
According to the President, the resolution is not only a historic global recognition of one of the darkest chapters in human history, but also a significant step toward restoring justice, dignity and truth for Africans and people of African descent across the world.
Addressing the gathering at the Accra International Airport upon his arrival on Sunday, March 29, 2026, President Mahama expressed gratitude to the people of Ghana for their prayers, encouragement, and support, describing the achievement as a national victory.
“This moment belongs to all the people of Ghana. Your prayers, encouragement and belief carried this mission forward and I return home with a deep sense of gratitude and humility,” he stated.
President Mahama said Ghana’s role at the United Nations went beyond national interest, stressing that the country stood as a voice for Africa and the global African diaspora.
“Ghana stood not only for itself but for Africa and the global African diaspora,” he added.
He described the adoption of the resolution as historic, noting that it brings clarity to a subject which has for many years been addressed in fragments on the international stage.
“The adoption of the resolution declaring the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity is historic. It affirms what we have always known that this injustice must be acknowledged, it must be remembered and it must be addressed,” he said.
President John Dramani Mahama on Sunday, returned home from the United Nations General Assembly in New York to a warm reception after Ghana secured the adoption of its slavery resolution.
The President was received at the Kotoka International Airport by Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang and a cross-section of Ghanaians.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), by a vote of 123 countries, adopted Ghana’s resolution to recognise the transatlantic slave trade as “the gravest crime against humanity.”
Three countries, the United States, Israel and Argentina voted against the resolution, while 52 abstained, including European Union member states and Britain.
President Mahama explained that for decades, global acknowledgement of the slave trade has been inconsistent, and the resolution marks the first time the issue has been clearly recorded at the highest international platform.
“Acknowledgement of the slave trade has been fragmented. This is the first time clarity and record has been brought to the issue on the highest global platform, the United Nations,” he noted.
He emphasized that the resolution is not merely about reflecting on the past, but about confronting the enduring consequences of slavery and laying the foundation for meaningful global conversations on reparative justice.
“This is not about the past alone, it is about justice, dignity and truth. It is about ensuring that the legacy of slavery is neither forgotten nor trivialized and it is about laying a foundation for meaningful global conversations on reparative justice,” President Mahama stated.
The President said Ghana has once again demonstrated moral leadership on the global stage, recalling the country’s historical role in championing justice and human dignity from the time of independence.
“Ghana has once again demonstrated moral leadership on the global stage. This is consistent with our history from our independence to today of standing for justice and human dignity,” he added.
President Mahama further announced that Ghana will work closely with key international partners, including the African Union, CARICOM and other like-minded nations, to ensure the resolution leads to real outcomes.
He mentioned that CARICOM already has a 10-point plan on reparative justice, and Ghana intends to build a strong coalition around it to push for implementation.
“Working with the African Union, the CARICOM and like-minded nations will help to shift the global conversation. CARICOM already has a 10-point plan for reparative justice. We will work to build a coalition around their plan,” he said.
The President stressed that the resolution should be seen as the beginning of a larger journey rather than an end, promising continued engagement through dialogue, education, remembrance and practical reparative measures.
“This resolution is just the beginning, it is not an end. We will work with our partners to translate this moral victory into concrete outcomes. Ghana will continue to work with our allies towards dialogue, education and remembrance with reparative action,” he assured.
President Mahama concluded by calling for unity and collective purpose, urging Ghanaians to take pride in the achievement and remain committed to the cause of justice.
“Let this moment remind us of what we can achieve when we act with purpose and unity. This is a proud moment for Ghana, it is a proud moment for Africa, it is a proud moment for people of African descent wherever they are in the world,” he stated.
SOURCE: Mubarak Yakubu
