President John Dramani Mahama has called on the international community to move beyond symbolic recognition of historical injustices and take decisive steps toward reparatory justice for the enduring impact of the transatlantic slave trade.
Addressing delegates at the opening of the Next Steps High-Level Consultative Conference on Reparatory Justice in Accra, President Mahama said the world must confront the legacy of slavery through truth, accountability, and meaningful action.
“The transatlantic slave trade remains one of the gravest crimes against humanity,” the President stated, noting that its effects continue to influence social structures, institutions, and economic inequalities across generations.
He stressed that while present-day societies did not directly participate in the atrocities of the past, they share a responsibility to address the consequences that continue to affect millions of people of African descent around the world.
“Though we did not commit these acts, we bear a collective responsibility to confront their consequences through justice, dialogue, remembrance and partnership,” President Mahama told participants.
Reaffirming Ghana’s commitment to the global reparations movement, the President announced the establishment of three international panels to guide the next phase of engagement on reparatory justice. The panels will focus on reparatory justice, the restitution of cultural artefacts, and legal pathways for redress.
According to him, the initiative is aimed at strengthening international cooperation and developing practical mechanisms to address historical wrongs and promote healing among affected communities.
The conference attracted an unprecedented gathering of world leaders and dignitaries, including the Presidents of Senegal, Namibia, Liberia, and São Tomé and Príncipe, the Prime Minister of Barbados, the Vice President of Equatorial Guinea, the Speaker of the Algerian Parliament, ministers, and senior representatives from more than 80 countries. Former President John Agyekum Kufuor was also in attendance.
Observers say the conference marks a significant milestone in the global conversation on reparations and underscores Ghana’s growing leadership role in championing justice, reconciliation, and international dialogue on the legacy of slavery.
In a call for tangible outcomes, President Mahama urged participants to translate discussions into measurable progress.
“Future generations will judge us not by the resolutions we adopted, but by the progress we achieved,” he said.
The Accra conference is expected to shape future international efforts toward reparatory justice and strengthen calls for redress, restitution, and recognition of the lasting effects of the transatlantic slave trade.
