Efforts underway to safeguard evidence of slavery — Foreign Minister

Ghana is taking a leading role in advancing reparatory justice and preserving the historical record of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced.

Speaking at a high-level meeting on the issue at the United Nations Headquarters on Tuesday, March 24, the minister highlighted the need for global reflection on the atrocities of slavery.

“This high level event offers us an opportunity for the global community to confront history with honesty, to honor the resilience of those who endured unimaginable suffering, and to reaffirm a shared commitment to reparatory justice and healing for Africans and people of African descent,” Ablakwa said.

He further emphasized Ghana’s role in driving international engagement on the issue, noting that the country has taken steps to document and preserve the historical evidence of slavery.

“Efforts are underway to recover archival records, leave testimonies, and safeguard material artifacts that bear witness to this history,” he noted.

Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has underlined the significance of his United Nations resolution aimed at recognising the trans-Atlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity.

The resolution coincides with the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade on March 25.

It calls for global acknowledgement of the historical injustice of the slave trade and aims to lay a foundation for meaningful reparatory justice for Africa and the African diaspora.

The move also seeks to deepen international understanding of the slave trade’s legacy of inequality, racism and social injustice while contributing to healing and historical accountability.

The initiative has garnered support from regional bodies and countries, including the African Union, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and other countries.

Speaking at the high-level engagement Mr. Mahama said the move is critical to restoring dignity and humanity to Africans and their descendants.