‘No race is superior, no nation is inferior’ – Mahama warns against nativism, xenophobia

President John Dramani Mahama has cautioned against xenophobia and discriminatory practices, emphasizing that all individuals are part of one human family regardless of their background. Speaking at the United Nations, Mahama acknowledged that people draw a sense of identity from their cultural roots, but warned that this sense of belonging can become dangerous when exploited for political gains.

He reiterated that no race should be deemed superior and no nation should be considered inferior, stressing the importance of equality and human dignity. Mahama highlighted that the United Nations' founding principles mandate upholding these values, irrespective of a person's origins. He reiterated that no child's life is less valuable based on the language they speak, the faith they follow, their skin color, or the land they were born into.

President Mahama also called on the global community to recognize the transatlantic slave trade as the most egregious crime against humanity. He noted that revisiting this history, while potentially painful, is crucial for healing and truth. He challenged the narrative that the millions of Africans forcibly displaced during the slave trade vanished into history, emphasizing that they were hunted, captured, trafficked, and exploited for profit.

Mahama argued that the forced labor of enslaved Africans played a role in building the modern Western world, while the African continent faced depopulation, broken families, and generational trauma. He argued that a truthful acknowledgment of this history is necessary for addressing its lasting consequences. His message was a call for the international community to reject systems that assign value based on identity, origin, or differences.