President John Dramani Mahama has urged the international community to move beyond acknowledging historical injustices and take concrete steps toward reparatory justice, truth-telling and reconciliation.
Speaking at the opening of the Next Steps High-Level Consultative Conference on Reparatory Justice in Accra, Mr Mahama described the transatlantic slave trade as “one of the gravest crimes against humanity”, with lasting effects that continue to shape inequalities and institutions across the world.
He called for a renewed phase of global engagement focused on meaningful action, stressing that the legacy of slavery still affects millions across generations.
Although current generations were not responsible for the atrocities of the past, Mr Mahama said there remains a collective duty to address their enduring consequences.
We must pursue justice through dialogue, remembrance and partnership, he told delegates.
As part of Ghana’s commitment to advancing the reparations agenda, the president announced the establishment of three international panels. These will focus on reparatory justice, the restitution of cultural artefacts, and legal pathways for redress.
The conference has brought together a high-profile group of global leaders and dignitaries, including the presidents of Senegal, Namibia, Liberia and São Tomé and Príncipe, the prime minister of Barbados, and the vice-president of Equatorial Guinea. Ministers and senior representatives from more than 80 countries are also attending, alongside former Ghanaian President John Agyekum Kufuor.
The gathering is being seen as a significant step in the global conversation on reparatory justice, reinforcing Ghana’s role in promoting dialogue and international cooperation on the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade.
Future generations will judge us not by the resolutions we adopted, but by the progress we achieved, Mr Mahama said.
By Blessed EDUAMOAH DADZIE
