Mahama urges UN to recognise transatlantic slave trade as gravest crime against humanity

President John Dramani Mahama has appealed to the United Nations General Assembly to adopt a landmark resolution formally declaring the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity.

Addressing the plenary on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, during the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, President Mahama described the resolution as a crucial step toward justice, healing, and global acknowledgement of historical wrongs.

He recalled that an estimated 13 million Africans were forcibly removed and enslaved over centuries, stressing the importance of preserving their legacy through education, documentation, and memorialisation.

“We do more than remember. We document and educate; we gain a greater perspective; we find the delicate balance of learning from history so we do not repeat it,” he said, referencing global memorials including the Ark of Return at the UN Headquarters in New York.

Speaking on behalf of the African Group, President Mahama unveiled Ghana’s draft resolution, titled Declaration of the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans and Racialised Chattel Enslavement of Africans as the Gravest Crime Against Humanity.

He noted that the proposal resulted from months of consultations among African nations, scholars, and international stakeholders to build consensus on truth, justice, and reparatory measures.

“Today, we come together in solemn solidarity to affirm truth and pursue a route to healing and reparative justice. The adoption of this resolution serves as a safeguard against forgetting,” he said.

President Mahama drew on the words of former US President Theodore Roosevelt and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. to underscore the moral imperative of standing against injustice, urging member states to vote in favour.

“On this beautiful day in March, we are called to stand on the right side of history. Let our vote on this resolution restore their dignity and humanity,” he concluded.

The resolution, if adopted, is expected to strengthen global recognition of historical injustices, promote reparative justice for descendants of enslaved Africans, and foster international commitment to addressing the enduring legacies of slavery.