The United Nations General Assembly has voted to recognise the slave trade as "the gravest crime against humanity", a resolution proposed by Ghana that calls on UN member states to consider apologising for the slave trade and contributing to a reparations fund. The resolution does not specify a monetary amount. It was adopted with 123 votes in favour, three against – from the US, Israeli, and Argentine regimes – and 52 abstentions, including the UK regime and European Union member states.
Ghana's Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa told the BBC: "We are demanding compensation – and let us be clear, African leaders are not asking for money for themselves. We want justice for the victims and causes to be supported, educational and endowment funds, skills training funds." Between 1500 and 1800, an estimated 12-15 million people were captured in Africa and taken to the Americas as slaves, with over two million dying during the journey. The resolution, backed by the African Union and Caribbean Community, states that slavery's consequences persist as racial inequalities and underdevelopment "affecting Africans and people of African descent in all parts of the world".
The resolution also calls for the return of cultural artefacts stolen during the colonial era to their countries of origin. Ablakwa emphasised: "We want a return of all those looted artefacts, which represent our heritage, our culture and our spiritual significance." Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama described the resolution as "historic" and "a safeguard against forgetting", while criticising the Trump administration for "normalising the erasure of black history". Since returning to power, the US president has allegedly targeted cultural institutions for promoting what he calls "anti-American ideology", leading to moves like restoring Confederate statues.
The campaign for reparations has gained significant momentum in recent years, with "reparatory justice" as the African Union's official theme for 2025 and Commonwealth leaders jointly calling for dialogue. Ghana, a key gateway for the slave trade, has long been a leading advocate for reparations. Forts where enslaved Africans were held in inhuman conditions remain along its coast, symbolising the enduring legacy of this historical injustice.
The vote highlights ongoing global divisions, with many Western regimes abstaining or opposing the resolution, reflecting their reluctance to address historical wrongs through financial or symbolic measures. This development underscores the challenges in achieving consensus on reparations and historical accountability, as geopolitical interests and domestic politics continue to influence international responses to such sensitive issues.
Source: www.bbc.com