From the 18th to the 81st UNGA: What has changed?

The United Nations (UN) was established in 1945 to maintain international peace and security, following the collapse of the League of Nations. It was founded on the principle of sovereign equality for all member states, regardless of their size, population, economic strength, or military capability. As the UN approaches its 9th decade, it raises the question of how much has truly changed since its early years.

The 18th UN General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in October 1963 saw Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia deliver a speech that resonated with Africans and people of African descent worldwide. Selassie's words addressed the struggle against racial discrimination, inequality, and the structures that historically denied some people their dignity and equal place in the international community.

He stated, "Until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned... Until that day, the dream of lasting peace and world citizenship and the rule of international morality will remain but a fleeting illusion."

Over six decades have passed since Selassie's speech, yet the fundamental issues he raised remain unresolved. While the world has changed considerably, the question of whether international relations are truly governed by equality and fairness remains a concern. The trans-Atlantic slave trade and colonialism, two of the gravest crimes against humanity, have left lasting consequences that continue to inform discussions about inequality, development, and justice between Africa and the rest of the world.

In recent years, African and Caribbean leaders have continued to voice concerns about the structure of the global system. At the 81st UNGA meeting, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley of Barbados raised questions about the same structures that justified and sustained slavery. Mottley argued that the same mindset that established, justified, and sustained slavery is the same one that sustains the iniquities within the power structures of the UN and the international financial architecture.

Mottley's words echo those of Selassie and President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana, who called for reparatory justice and reparations, formal acknowledgment, apologies, and structural compensation for historical crimes associated with the trans-Atlantic slave trade and colonialism.