President John Dramani Mahama is to file a consequential resolution on the historic Transatlantic Slave Trade at the United Nations (UN) on March 25 this year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has said.
The motion would mark the first time an African head of state has formally requested such a vote at the UN.
International Internationmbrance
The UN observes 25 March as the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Estimates suggest the trade forcibly removed more than 15 million Africans to the Americas and Europe over 400 years, with millions dying during the Middle Passage.
While slave owners were often compensated after abolition, the victims and their descendants have not received formal reparations.
Building Support
President Mahama, who serves as African Union (AU) Champion for Reparations, is consulting with other African leaders, scholars, and organisations including the AU Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) to secure backing for the motion.
Mr Ablakwa described the initiative as a “monumental effort” and said it would be discussed at the upcoming AU Summit.
Broader Agenda
Ablakwa also highlighted Mahama’s endorsement as West Africa’s candidate for AU Chairmanship, noting that he plans to focus on intra-African trade, industrialisation, and implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
