Mahama calls for structural repair after UN slavery resolution
President John Dramani Mahama has called for deeper international action on reparatory justice, arguing that acknowledging the historical crimes of the transatlantic slave trade must be followed by changes to global systems that continue to disadvantage Africa and people of African descent.
President John Dramani Mahama has called for more robust global action on reparatory justice, emphasizing that recognizing the historical atrocities of the transatlantic slave trade needs to be followed by changes in global systems that still disadvantage Africa and individuals of African descent. Addressing the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 24, Mahama highlighted Ghana's role in promoting international acknowledgment of the transatlantic slave trade and the resulting racialized chattel enslavement of Africans.
He emphasized that the adoption of the Ghana-sponsored resolution at the UN in March 2026 marked a significant step towards acknowledging the historical injustice and its ongoing repercussions. Mahama articulated that genuine healing necessitates truth; truth demands acknowledgment; and acknowledgment leads to substantive reparations.
He argued that the legacy of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade extends far beyond the loss of lives and communities, citing persistent economic and structural consequences for Africa. The President suggested that meaningful repair should encompass reforms to international trade, financing, and resource extraction systems, along with measures to ensure African nations retain a greater share of the value derived from their natural resources.
"Yet, genuine repair necessitates structural transformation," Mahama stressed. "It involves dismantling the persistent mechanisms of exploitation, such as unfair global trade policies, exploitative resource extraction, biased credit ratings, unsustainable debt levels, and the continuous export of raw materials from Africa while value addition and employment creation occur elsewhere."
Mahama expressed Ghana's support for initiatives by countries like the Netherlands, Germany, and France, which are engaging in discussions on reparatory justice and restitution. However, he stressed that Africa's primary goal was not solely financial compensation but a transformation of the structures that continue to influence economic relationships between Africa and the developed world.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
