A resolution proposed by Ghana at the United Nations on Wednesday to recognise transatlantic slavery as the “gravest crime against humanity” and calling for reparations has been adopted despite resistance from Europe and the US.
Ghana said the resolution was needed because the consequences of slavery, which saw at least 12.5 million Africans taken and sold between the 15th and 19th centuries, persist today, including racial disparities.
At a UN General Assembly (UNGA) vote, 123 countries supported the resolution, which is not legally binding but carries political weight, while three opposed it, including the US and Israel, and 52 abstained, including the European Union and Britain.
Ghana’s foreign minister, Samuel Ablakwa, said the resolution called for accountability.
Justin Hansford, a law professor at Howard University, said the resolution was significant as it represented the furthest the UN has gone in recognising transatlantic slavery as a crime against humanity and in calling for reparations.
“This marks the first vote on the floor of the UN,” Hansford said. “I cannot over-emphasise how large of a step that is.”
U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres told the UNGA that “far bolder action” was required from more states to confront historical injustices. The Netherlands remains the only European country to have issued a formal apology for its role in slavery.
The resolution marks a new step in Africa’s efforts to seek accountability for historical injustices by former colonial powers after the African Union last year set out to create a “unified vision” among its 55 member states on what reparations may look like.
It urges member states to engage in dialogue on reparations, including issuing formal apologies, returning stolen artefacts, providing financial compensation, and ensuring guarantees of non-repetition.
While longstanding calls for reparations have gained momentum in recent years, there is also a growing backlash.
Several Western leaders have opposed even discussing the subject, with critics arguing today’s states and institutions should not be held responsible for historical wrongs. (Reuters)
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