Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The United Nations General As sembly has voted to recognise the enslavement of Africans dur ing the transatlantic slave trade as “the gravest crime against humanity”, a move advocates hope will pave the way for healing and justice.
The resolution – proposed by Ghana – called for this designation, while also urg ing UN member states to consider apolo gising for the slave trade and contributing to a reparations fund. It does not mention a specific amount of money.
The proposal was adopted with 123 votes in favour and three against – the United States, Israel and Argentina. Fifty-two countries abstained, including the United Kingdom and European Union member states.
Countries like the UK have long rejected calls to pay reparations, saying present day institutions cannot be held responsible for past wrongs.
Unlike UN Security Council resolutions, those from the General Assembly are not legally binding, though they carry the weight of global opinion.
“Let it be recorded that when history beckoned, we did what was right for the memory of the millions who suffered the indignity of the slave trade and those who continue to suffer racial discrimination,” Ghana’s President John Mahama told the assembly ahead of the vote.
Earlier, his foreign minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, told the BBC’s News day programme: “We are demanding compensation – and let us be clear, African leaders are not asking for money for them selves.”
Reparatory justice The campaign for reparations has gained significant momentum in recent years – “reparatory justice” was the African Union’s official theme for 2025 and Com monwealth leaders have jointly called for dialogue on the matter.
Between 1500 and 1800, around 12-15 million people were captured in Africa and taken to the Americas where they were forced to work as slaves. It is estimated that over two million people died on the journey.
The resolution was backed by the Afri can Union and the Caribbean Community.
