Ghana's President Mahama Advocates Unified African Strategy on Reparations at AU Summit

During the 39th African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama urged African leaders to adopt a unified strategy to address the enduring impacts of slavery and colonialism. He described these historical injustices as "the gravest crime against humanity" and emphasized the need for a collective continental approach to seek reparations.

President Mahama highlighted that Ghana's proposed AU resolution on reparations was developed through extensive consultations with the AU Committee of Experts on Reparations, legal experts, academic institutions, and diaspora organizations. He noted that the resolution's language was carefully crafted to ensure historical accuracy, legal credibility, and moral clarity.

"Ghana has undertaken extensive consultations to strengthen the resolution," Mahama stated. "We've engaged with UNESCO, the Global Group of Experts on Reparations, the Pan-African Lawyers Union, academic institutions, the African Union Committee of Experts on Reparations, and the African Union Legal Experts Reference Group."

The resolution is scheduled to be presented on March 25, aiming to provide a legal and moral foundation for reparatory justice and to facilitate dialogue with the United Nations and international partners. President Mahama stressed that the initiative is not directed at any specific nation but focuses on truth, recognition, and reconciliation.

"Informal consultations on the draft text are expected to take place between 23rd February and 12th March 2026," he mentioned. "Our objective is simple: to build a broad consensus behind this resolution."

He called upon all AU member states to support and co-sponsor the resolution, emphasizing that its adoption would acknowledge the historical injustices of slavery and colonialism and lay the groundwork for genuine reconciliation and equality. "While the past cannot be undone, it can be acknowledged, and acknowledgment is the first step towards justice," Mahama concluded.