Amnesty International has welcomed the adoption of a landmark reparatory justice resolution by the United Nations General Assembly, describing it as a major breakthrough in the global struggle for recognition and accountability over slavery.
In a statement issued after the vote, Amnesty praised the resolution tabled by Ghana on behalf of Africa and people of African descent, which formally recognises the chattel enslavement of Africans as a crime against humanity. The measure was adopted with 123 votes in favour, three against and 53 abstentions.
“Amnesty International welcomes the recognition of chattel enslavement of Africans as a crime against humanity,” the organisation said, framing the outcome as a significant legal and moral milestone.
Legacy of Slavery Still Shapes Modern Inequality
Amnesty stressed that the impact of slavery and colonialism remains deeply embedded in contemporary global systems, more than a century after the transatlantic slave trade was formally abolished.
According to the organisation, the enduring consequences of those injustices continue to be felt through racism, structural inequality and the concentration of wealth in institutions and states that benefited from the exploitation of enslaved Africans.
“Across the world, people are still suffering the long-lasting effects of slavery and colonialism,” Amnesty noted, adding that both states and private actors profited from these historic abuses.
That position broadens the debate beyond governments alone, raising questions about the role of corporations and institutions whose prosperity was built on slavery.
Ghana’s Push Gains Global Backing
The resolution was spearheaded by Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and backed by President John Dramani Mahama as part of the country’s wider diplomatic push for reparatory justice.
The text calls on former slave-trading nations to engage in dialogue with African states and the African Union on measures to address historical wrongs.
These could include financial compensation, debt cancellation, development support and the return of looted cultural artefacts.
Amnesty described the resolution as “a momentous step forward” in the campaign for reparations and said it creates a clearer foundation for future redress.
Although the resolution is non-binding, its passage by a commanding majority—and the backing of major rights groups—has intensified pressure on former colonial and slave-trading powers to respond more substantively to reparations demands.
For many campaigners, the vote signals a shift in international discourse: from remembrance alone to a growing insistence on justice, accountability and meaningful repair.
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