The resolution on transatlantic slavery was supported by 123 countries, while three opposed it – including the US and Israel.
Published on 25 March 2026
A UN resolution proposed by Ghana to recognize transatlantic slavery as “the gravest crime against humanity” and demand reparations has been adopted despite opposition from Europe and the United States.
In the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) vote on Wednesday, 123 countries supported the resolution, which is not legally binding but carries political significance, while three, including the US and Israel, opposed it, and 52 countries, including the United Kingdom and EU countries, abstained.
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Ghana said the resolution was needed because the consequences of slavery, under which at least 12.5 million Africans were kidnapped and sold between the 15th and 19th centuries, persist today, including racial inequalities.
Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, the principal architect of the resolution, said the passage of the resolution was “a path to healing and restorative justice”.
“The adoption of this resolution serves as a safeguard against forgetting… Let it be recorded that when history prompted, we did what was right for the memory of the millions who suffered the indignity of slavery.”
Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Ablakwa, said the resolution called for accountability and could pave the way for a “recovery framework”.
“History does not disappear if ignored, truth does not weaken if delayed, crime does not fester… and justice does not fade away with time,” Abalakwa said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the UNGA that “far bolder action” from more countries is needed to confront historical injustice.
The Netherlands is the only European country to issue a formal apology for its role in slavery.
The proposal comes after the African Union set out last year to create a “unified approach” among its 55 member states on what reparations for slavery could look like.
It urges member states to engage in negotiations on compensation, including issuing a formal apology, returning stolen artefacts, providing financial compensation and ensuring no recurrence.
Despite long-standing demands for compensation, the response is also growing.
Many Western leaders have resisted even discussing the topic, with critics arguing that today’s states and institutions should not be held responsible for historical mistakes.
Both the EU and the US expressed concern that the resolution could indicate a hierarchy among crimes against humanity, with some being considered more serious than others.
