French President Macron to attend Ghana's Next Steps Conference on Reparatory Justice

French President Emmanuel Macron will be among world leaders attending Ghana's High-Level Next Steps Conference on Reparatory Justice in Accra later this month.

Ghana will host the conference from June 17 to 19, following the adoption of a landmark United Nations resolution on the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

The resolution, adopted on March 25, secured the backing of 123 UN member states, while Israel, the United States and Argentina voted against it.

Fifty-two countries, including the United Kingdom and France, abstained.

Ghana’s resolution seeks to formally recognise the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity.

The conference is expected to build on the momentum generated by the UN resolution and advance discussions on reparatory justice for Africans and people of African descent.

In a statement issued on May 4, Ghana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the gathering would provide a platform for governments, legal experts, historians, activists and international stakeholders to chart the next phase of the reparations agenda.

"The High-Level Next Steps Conference is intended to sustain the momentum generated at the multilateral level by providing a dedicated platform for participating States, world leaders, experts, historians, jurists and activists to deliberate on the next phase of the reparations agenda," the ministry stated.

In a social media post on Tuesday, June 9, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced that President Macron would address the conference and present France's position on reparatory justice.

"The Government of Ghana confirms that the President of France will address the Next Steps Conference on Reparatory Justice being hosted in Accra by President Mahama," Mr. Ablakwa wrote.

According to the minister, the French leader is expected to support dialogue on historical injustices suffered by Africans and discuss France's commitment to the reparatory justice process.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier said the conference would also help strengthen international cooperation on the issue and identify practical pathways for advancing reparatory justice efforts globally.

"The Conference will foster international cooperation, strengthen strategic partnerships and contribute to shaping a coherent and action-oriented roadmap for the advancement of reparatory justice," the statement added.

The conference is expected to attract heads of state, diplomats, scholars, legal practitioners and civil society actors from across Africa, the Caribbean, Europe and the wider international community.