Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has commended President John Mahama and Ghanaians for their leadership in advancing the global reparatory justice agenda. He made these remarks during his address to the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. President Lula referenced the landmark UN declaration recognising the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialised chattel enslavement of Africans as the “gravest crime against humanity”. This declaration was adopted by the UN General Assembly on March 25, 2026.
The UN declaration was a result of a Ghana-led initiative championed by President Mahama. The resolution calls for inclusive dialogue on reparatory justice and recognises the need to address the lasting consequences of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade. President Lula praised the significance of the General Assembly’s decision, describing it as a correction of a historical distortion. He stated that the international community must now move beyond recognition and focus on issues critical to humanity’s future.
President Lula emphasised the need for the international community to choose between multilateralism or unilateralism, democracy or extremism, sovereignty or subordination. He stated that these choices require courage, political will, and clarity of objectives. President Lula’s remarks come as Ghana continues to push for further action following the adoption of the UN declaration. The resolution was formally titled the Declaration of the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans and Racialised Chattel Enslavement of Africans as the Gravest Crime against Humanity.
The resolution was adopted by the General Assembly as Resolution 80/250. President Mahama had announced Ghana’s intention to introduce the resolution during his address to the UN General Assembly in September 2025. Ghana subsequently led the initiative on behalf of the African Group, securing its adoption in March 2026. This development has been followed by efforts to translate the UN declaration into practical measures.
In June 2026, Ghana hosted a high-level conference on reparatory justice in Accra. Participants discussed the next steps for advancing the global reparations agenda. Brazil has been among the countries supporting Ghana’s initiative. President Lula had earlier announced Brazil’s full support for the Ghana-led resolution during the CELAC-Africa Summit in Bogotá, Colombia, ahead of the UN vote.
President Lula's comments reflect the growing international support for Ghana's efforts to advance reparatory justice. The initiative aims to address the historical injustices faced by Africans and people of African descent. Ghana's efforts have been recognised as a crucial step towards promoting global justice and accountability. The country's leadership in this area has been commended by various stakeholders.
Key stakeholders continue to engage in discussions on the practical implementation of the UN declaration. The declaration serves as a critical step towards acknowledging and addressing the historical injustices of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade. President Mahama's leadership in this area has been significant, and Ghana's initiative has garnered support from various countries, including Brazil.
Key points
- President Lula commended Ghana's leadership in advancing the global reparatory justice agenda
- The UN declaration recognises the trafficking of enslaved Africans as the “gravest crime against humanity”
- Ghana hosted a high-level conference on reparatory justice in Accra in June 2026
