Ghana is hosting a high-level side event at the United Nations General Assembly in New York to review global efforts towards reparatory justice and the restitution of cultural heritage. The event, scheduled for September 23, 2026, follows Ghana's High-Level Next Steps Conference on Reparatory Justice held in Accra in June. The conference resulted in the Accra Next Steps Commitments on Reparatory Justice, which called for stronger international cooperation and legal pathways for redress.
The UN event will focus on moving from commitments to action, with progress reports expected from three global mechanisms established following the Accra conference. These mechanisms include a High-Level Advisory Council on Reparatory Justice, a Global Experts Panel on the Restitution of Cultural Heritage, and a Global Legal Panel on Reparatory Justice. President John Mahama, also the African Union Champion on Reparations, will deliver the keynote address at the event.
The event is co-hosted by Ghana, Germany, and France, and will feature participation from several high-profile individuals, including Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados and President Boakai of Liberia. Other expected participants include UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany and African Union Commission Deputy Chairperson Selma Malika Haddadi. The initiative follows the adoption of UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/80/250, which recognized the trafficking of enslaved Africans as a crime against humanity.
The resolution, adopted on March 25, 2026, was supported by 123 UN member states, with 56 abstentions and three votes against. Ghana's Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has been actively involved in the process, and has expressed optimism about the event's potential to drive progress towards reparatory justice. The event aims to provide a platform for discussions on international cooperation towards restitution and reparatory justice.
The Next Steps Conference in Accra brought together government representatives, scholars, legal experts, civil society groups, and members of the African diaspora to develop a practical roadmap for advancing reparatory justice. The conference resulted in a set of commitments that emphasized the need for stronger international cooperation, legal and institutional pathways for redress, cultural restitution, historical truth-telling, education, and greater engagement with the African diaspora.
President John Mahama has been a key proponent of the reparatory justice agenda, and has announced the establishment of three global mechanisms to drive the next phase of the agenda. The event in New York is expected to provide an update on the work of these panels and further discussions on international cooperation towards restitution and reparatory justice.
The event will take place at The Pierre, a Taj Hotel, in New York, and is scheduled to run from 1 pm to 3 pm New York time. Participants will include presidents of several African countries, as well as Prime Ministers from the Caribbean region. The event aims to build on the momentum generated by the Accra conference and to drive progress towards reparatory justice.
Key points
- The event aims to review progress on global efforts towards reparatory justice and the restitution of cultural heritage.
- President John Mahama will deliver the keynote address at the event.
- The event will feature participation from several high-profile individuals, including Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados and President Boakai of Liberia.
