Global leaders converge in Ghana for Reparatory Justice Conference

Group of formally dressed individuals on an airport tarmac shake hands, with a woman in a patterned dress smiling nearby and others watching the greeting under a blue-and-gold ceremonial canopy.

By Nana Prekoh Eric June 19, 2026

Presidents, prime ministers, parliamentary leaders, and ministers from over 80 nations have gathered in Ghana for the Next Steps Conference on Reparatory Justice, a high‑level forum convened by President John Dramani Mahama to advance global dialogue on reparations for the transatlantic slave trade and its lasting impact. The conference runs from June 17–19, 2026.

Among the dignitaries in attendance are the presidents of Senegal, Namibia, Liberia, and São Tomé and Príncipe, the Prime Minister of Barbados, the Vice Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea, the Speaker of Algeria’s Parliament, and senior officials from across Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas, and beyond. French President Emmanuel Macron is also expected to join the gathering.

kofi-asamoah-siaw-ppp | Ghanaguardian.com

Minister for Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has stated that the conference is designed to build momentum toward a coordinated international approach to reparatory justice, uniting political leaders, policymakers, academics, and advocates to explore pathways for addressing both the historical and contemporary impacts of the transatlantic slave trade.

The gathering comes three months after the landmark adoption of United Nations Resolution A/RES/80/250, which declared transatlantic enslavement the gravest crime against humanity. The resolution marked a pivotal step in global recognition of the scale and enduring consequences of the slave trade, intensifying calls for concrete measures to redress historical injustices.

President Mahama, who has positioned Ghana as a leading voice in the reparatory justice movement, is expected to use the conference to strengthen international cooperation and shape actionable frameworks for advancing reparations and restorative justice. The Next Steps Conference on Reparatory Justice is anticipated to produce recommendations aimed at bolstering advocacy, promoting historical accountability, and advancing policies to confront the legacy of slavery and colonial exploitation.