President John Dramani Mahama has intensified calls for international action on reparatory justice, urging United Nations member states to support a landmark resolution aimed at addressing the legacy of slavery.

Delivering a statement at the United Nations General Assembly in New York during a plenary session marking the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, President Mahama underscored the moral urgency of confronting one of history’s gravest injustices.

He called on the global community to endorse a draft resolution seeking to formally declare the transatlantic slave trade and the racialised enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity. According to him, the proposal is the product of months of broad consultations involving African nations, international partners, scholars, and legal experts, all aimed at building consensus around truth, justice, and reparations.

President Mahama stressed that adopting the resolution would represent a significant step toward restoring dignity to millions of victims and their descendants, while also addressing the enduring structural inequalities rooted in slavery and racial discrimination.

He further urged nations to demonstrate moral courage, emphasizing that neutrality in the face of injustice only perpetuates historical wrongs. He called on member states to “stand on the right side of history” by supporting the resolution when it is put to a vote.

Reflecting on the significance of the commemoration, President Mahama noted that the day honours the memory of millions of Africans who were forcibly taken and enslaved over several centuries. He stressed that remembrance must extend beyond symbolic gestures to include deliberate efforts in education, historical documentation, and collective healing.

He also highlighted the role of memorials such as the Ark of Return at the United Nations Headquarters, describing them as powerful reminders of the past and important tools for raising global awareness about the transatlantic slave trade.

The annual observance serves as a platform for reflection, dialogue, and renewed commitment to ensuring that the atrocities of slavery are neither forgotten nor repeated, as momentum builds around calls for accountability and reparatory justice on the global stage.