Ghana is spearheading a bold United Nations resolution on 25 March to officially declare the transatlantic slave trade a crime against humanity. The move, backed by the African Union (AU), aims to force former colonial powers, including Britain, to face demands for reparations.
African Union and Caribbean Nations Unite Over Reparations
The AU, representing all 55 African countries, sealed the deal at their recent summit. Caribbean nations have teamed up with African states, pushing claims potentially worth trillions of dollars. Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, told the UN summit:
“By standing together at the United Nations, we signal to the world that Africa will no longer allow the scale of its historical suffering to be minimised. We seek not only recognition, but a global legal framework that paves the way for healing, accountability, restitution and restorative justice.”
Ablakwa stressed the resolution will demand reparations, including the return of looted cultural treasures.
Labour’s Bell Ribeiro-Addy Backs Reparations Campaign
Labour backbencher Bell Ribeiro-Addy echoes the call. She slammed the UK government for dodging reparations talks and urged ministers to take responsibility for “enduring legacies of slavery and colonialism.”
“Reparations are not about relitigating historic injustices, they are about remedying the deep-rooted inequalities that still shape our world today,” Ribeiro-Addy declared at a London conference.
The Socialist Campaign Group MP has joined Labour’s Diane Abbott and Clive Lewis in demanding state-led reparations action, highlighting a staggering £18 trillion slavery retribution bill pushed by Commonwealth countries.
UK Government Stands Firm Against Paying Reparations
Despite fierce pressure, the UK government refuses to pay reparations. Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who once supported reparations while in opposition, has shifted his stance, aligning with ministers rejecting any payouts.
Britain—once controlling a quarter of Africa—could face fresh legal battles if the UN resolution passes. Although Britain helped end the slave trade in the 18th century, critics argue it must acknowledge its imperial legacy.
Other European powers, like France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Germany, also risk growing claims as former colonial powers blamed not only for slavery but also for environmental damage too.
UN Resolution Could Trigger Binding Reparations Deals
The 25 March deadline sets the stage for intense diplomatic wrangling. Should the resolution pass, it would create the first global legal framework demanding reparations from colonial powers to African and Caribbean nations.
Ghana, fronting the African Union’s 55 countries, leads this historic charge, signalling a new era of international pressure to right centuries-old wrongs.
