Despite resistance from the US and other European countries, the UN General Assembly on Wednesday passed a historic resolution calling the transatlantic African slave trade “the gravest crime against humanity.”
Applause erupted at the UN headquarters in New York when the resolution was approved with 123 votes in favor, three against, and 52 abstentions.
The United Kingdom and EU member nations abstained, however the United nations, Israel, and Argentina voted against the proposal.
The resolution, according to supporters, is a major step toward reconciliation, worldwide acknowledgment, and the potential for compensation for the historical injustice of slavery.
John Mahama, the president of Ghana and a prominent spokesperson for the African Union on reparations, attended the UN to back the vote.
“Today, we unite in solemn solidarity to acknowledge the truth and seek a path toward reparative justice and reconciliation. The resolution’s approval acts as a preventative measure against forgetfulness, according to Mahama.
The resolution encourages nations implicated in the transatlantic slave trade to participate in restorative justice initiatives, going beyond symbolic recognition even though it is non-binding.
It also highlights the lasting effects of slavery, including the continued existence of neo-colonial structures and racial prejudice in contemporary society.
Slavery, according to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, is a terrible crime against humanity.
He declared, “The transatlantic slave trade was a crime against humanity that broke up families, destroyed communities, and struck at the core of personhood.”
“Slavery’s supporters and beneficiaries created a racist ideology to justify the unjustifiable, turning prejudice into a pseudoscience,” he continued.
US Ambassador Dan Negrea responded to the development by calling the resolution “extremely problematic.”
“Reparations for historical wrongs that were not illegal under international law at the time they occurred are also not recognized by the United States,” he stated.
He went on to criticize the effort to classify crimes against humanity.
Negrea continued, “The United States also vehemently objects to the resolution’s attempt to rank crimes against humanity in any kind of hierarchy.”
In a similar vein, European delegates expressed concerns about the resolution’s wording while acknowledging the horrors of slavery.
Sylvain Fournel, the French envoy, cautioned that the action would lead to needless parallels between past catastrophes.
“The resolution runs the risk of comparing historical tragedies that shouldn’t be compared, unless at the expense of the victims’ memories,” he stated.
Ablakwa of Ghana says, “We Expect Them All To Apologize.”
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ghana’s minister of foreign affairs, rejected claims that the resolution aimed to prioritize human misery.
Rather, he accused certain nations of not fully admitting their involvement in the slave trade.
The United States of America and Europeans are known to have engaged in the transatlantic slave trade. “We anticipate that they will all formally apologize to Africa and all individuals of African descent,” he stated.
Ablakwa also described potential avenues for restorative justice, such as financial recompense and the return of stolen artifacts.
“Returning all the looted artifacts to the motherland is one pathway toward restorative justice,” he stated, emphasizing the need for institutions to keep tackling systemic racism.
