President John Dramani Mahama has called on the international community to unite in formally recognising the transatlantic slave trade as one of the gravest crimes against humanity.
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, March 25, during the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, he said the moment demands both moral clarity and collective responsibility.
“Let it be recorded that when history beckoned, we did what was right for the memory of the millions who suffered the indignity of slavery,” he stated.
President Mahama noted that the day honours an estimated 13 million Africans who were forcibly taken and enslaved over centuries. He stressed the importance of remembrance through education and reflection.
“Through these activities, we do more than remember. We document and educate; we gain a greater perspective,” he said, adding that such efforts are essential for learning from the past and fostering healing.
He recalled that the global observance was formally instituted in 2007, following a United Nations resolution adopted the previous year to commemorate victims annually on March 25.
Speaking on behalf of the African Group, President Mahama highlighted a renewed push to deepen international acknowledgment of slavery’s historical injustice through a draft resolution currently before the Assembly.
The proposal seeks to declare the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialised chattel enslavement of Africans as among the gravest crimes against humanity.
He further called for a global commitment to healing and reparative justice, describing the moment as a critical step toward addressing historical wrongs.
“Today, we come together in solemn solidarity to affirm truth and pursue a route to healing and reparative justice,” he said.
President Mahama urged nations to act decisively and with conviction in confronting the legacy of slavery and advancing justice for its victims.
Source: Wesleyannews.com
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