President John Dramani Mahama has expressed profound joy following the adoption of a landmark resolution by the United Nations General Assembly declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans and the racialised chattel enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity.
In a statement issued after the historic decision, President Mahama described the development as a significant milestone in the global quest for justice, historical recognition, and dignity for millions of Africans and people of African descent.
“I am overjoyed by the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the resolution declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans and the racialised chattel enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity,” he stated.
The President emphasized that the achievement was the result of sustained international collaboration and moral conviction, highlighting the critical role played by regional and global blocs.
“The process of its realisation, from idea to reality, was made possible by the solidarity of people of good conscience around the world and led by the active coalition of the African Union, CARICOM and other groups,” he noted.
President Mahama further underscored the symbolic importance of the resolution, particularly as it coincides with global remembrance efforts for victims of slavery.
“I cannot think of a better way to honour our forebears on the Day of Remembrance than to have the majority of the world’s countries affirm that the trafficking and enslavement of nearly 13 million human beings is, indeed, the gravest crime against humanity,” he said.
Drawing inspiration from history, the President invoked the legacy of François-Dominique Toussaint L’Ouverture, a former slave who became a leading figure in Haiti’s liberation struggle.
Quoting the revolutionary leader, he added, “The greatest weapon against oppression is unity.”
President Mahama concluded by calling for continued global solidarity in addressing the enduring consequences of slavery and restoring the dignity of its victims and their descendants.
“We must stand united in seeking the restoration of the humanity and dignity of our forebears who were enslaved and sold,” he stressed.
The United Nations resolution is being widely regarded as a historic step toward acknowledging the scale and severity of the transatlantic slave trade, and it is expected to strengthen ongoing global conversations on reparative justice and historical accountability.
Story: Patrick Asford Boadu
