The United Nations General Assembly has declared the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity, despite opposition from the United States and European nations.
The resolution, spearheaded by Ghana, was adopted with 123 votes in favour, three against and 52 abstentions. The United States, Israel, and Argentina voted against it, while the United Kingdom and EU Member States were among the countries abstaining.
The resolution condemns the trafficking, enslavement and racialised oppression of Africans as “the gravest crime against humanity."
It highlights the scale, duration, systemic nature, brutality and enduring consequences" of the slave trade, "that continue to structure the lives of all people through racialised regimes of labour, property and capital.”
It calls on nations to pursue justice through formal apologies, compensations for descendants of victims, anti-racism policies, and the restitution of cultural and spiritual artefacts taken during the era.
Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said nations responsible for the slave trade must issue sincere apologies to Africa, not “weak apologies” as some have in the past. He also criticised certain parties for refusing to acknowledge their historical crimes.
The United States defended its opposition, describing the resolution as “highly problematic.” Its representative, Dan Negrea, argued that international law at the time did not deem the slave trade illegal, and therefore reparations are not legally warranted.
The EU countries and the United Kingdom, while condemning the atrocity of slavery, chose to abstain, citing similar legal concerns regarding reparations.
