Accra, March 29, — President John Dramani Mahama returned home from the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Sunday to a warm reception after Ghana successfully secured adoption of its historic slavery resolution.
The President was welcomed at Kotoka International Airport by Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang and a cross-section of Ghanaians celebrating the milestone.
The UNGA, in a vote of 123 in favour, recognised the transatlantic slave trade as “the gravest crime against humanity.” Three countries — the United States, Israel, and Argentina — voted against it, while 52, including Britain and several EU states, abstained.
Tabled by Mahama in his capacity as African Union Champion for Reparations, the resolution aims to advance global dialogue on justice, healing, and reparative measures. The transatlantic slave trade, spanning the 15th to 19th centuries, forcibly removed 12–15 million Africans, with millions perishing during raids, forced marches, and the Middle Passage. Coastal enclaves in present-day Ghana, including Elmina and Cape Coast, were key transit points.
Addressing the gathering, President Mahama hailed the achievement as a collective victory for Ghana, Africa, and the global African diaspora. “This moment places the gravest crime against humanity on the highest global platform,” he said, emphasising that the resolution is about justice, dignity, and truth — not just the past.
He acknowledged the tireless efforts of Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ghana’s UN Ambassador Samuel Yao Kumah, and the Ambassador to the US, Victor Smith, for mobilising support across continents.
Vice President Opoku-Agyemang congratulated the President, noting his role in securing a more precise global position on a difficult history and celebrated his International Statesperson Award from the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia.
President Mahama assured that the resolution marks the start of a process toward reparative justice, including collaboration with CARICOM partners to advance the 10-point plan on historical redress.
“This achievement belongs to all Ghanaians. Akwaaba,” he said.
GHBUSS
March 29, 2026
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