President John Dramani Mahama has used his address at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) to call for reparations for the transatlantic slave trade, colonial exploitation, and cultural theft, describing the slave trade as the greatest crime against humanity.
Standing before the Assembly in New York, President Mahama declared that the scars of slavery and colonisation remain visible in the global order. He said Ghana would introduce a motion at the UN seeking formal recognition of the injustices suffered by millions of Africans.
“The slave trade must be recognized as the greatest crime against humanity. As the African champion on reparations, Ghana intends to introduce a motion in this August body to that effect. More than 12 and a half million Africans were forcibly taken against their will and transported to create wealth for the powerful Western nations”
President John Dramani Mahama
The President argued that reparations were overdue, highlighting that the governments of slave-owning nations once compensated former owners for their loss of “property” while the enslaved themselves received nothing. He pointed to the continuing absence of full restitution for stolen African resources and cultural heritage.
Call for Global Justice
The President tied the demand for reparations to today’s inequalities, stressing that correcting the structural imbalances created by slavery and colonialism is essential to building a fairer world.
He reminded the Assembly that the UN’s foundations are rooted in a time when Africa had little voice, urging that the new realities must reshape the structures of global decision-making.
“Back then, only four African states were even at the table. Today, Africa is home to 54 nations, over 1.4 billion people, and by 2050, one in every four human beings will be African. One third of the world’s youth will be African”
President John Dramani Mahama
The President also warned of a shifting global order where rising defense budgets are paired with deep cuts to humanitarian support. According to him, since July 2024, humanitarian aid worldwide has fallen by 40 percent, worsening challenges for vulnerable populations.
With a mix of passion and conviction, Mahama sought to assert Africa’s rising role in global affairs. “The future is African. Allow me to say this once again, a little louder for the people in the back. The future is African!” he declared, drawing attention to the continent’s youthful population and vast resources.
He insisted that sovereignty over Africa’s resources must be respected and that the looting of artifacts and cultural property during colonial times requires immediate redress.
Support for President Mahama’s Message
Outside the UN headquarters, a group of Ghanaians living in the United States gathered in support of the President’s speech, waving flags and chanting as he delivered his address. Their presence underscored the resonance of Mahama’s call among the diaspora community.
Back home, government spokesperson Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu praised the address, commending it for articulating both Ghana’s and Africa’s interests with clarity. He said the speech positioned Mahama not only as Ghana’s President but also as a voice for the wider Global South.
According to the Minister of Information, the address represented a significant intervention in the global reparations movement, “anchoring Ghana as a leading voice in pushing for justice and equality at the world stage.”
President Mahama’s intervention was framed not as routine diplomacy but as a bold manifesto for justice, equality, and a reset of global governance.
He argued that Africa’s demographic future demands a stronger voice in shaping world decisions, insisting that international systems must reflect contemporary realities rather than outdated structures of power.
As he closed his address, President Mahama emphasized that his appeal was not only about Ghana but about the dignity of all nations who seek fairness in the international order.
His words, combining historical reckoning with future vision, left the Assembly with a clear message that Africa is no longer a marginal actor but a decisive force in the world’s future.
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