The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a Ghana-backed resolution declaring the transatlantic slave trade the “gravest crime against humanity”, in a vote that exposed sharp divisions between the global south and several western powers.
The measure, introduced by Ghana, secured the backing of 123 countries on Wednesday. Three states, including the United States and Israel, voted against it, while 52 others — among them the European Union members and the United Kingdom — abstained.
The resolution formally recognises the transatlantic slave trade and slavery as crimes of exceptional gravity, underscoring their enduring impact on global inequality, racial injustice and development disparities. It calls for renewed international dialogue on reparations, including the possibility of formal apologies and compensation, reflecting mounting pressure from African and Caribbean states for historical accountability.
While General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, the vote is widely seen as the strongest collective stance yet taken by the UN on the legacy of slavery. Diplomats say it reinforces a growing push to place reparatory justice more firmly on the international agenda, even as western governments remain cautious about the legal and financial implications.
Speaking after the vote, Ghana’s foreign affairs minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, described the outcome as “a historic step forward”, arguing that the international community could no longer ignore the lasting consequences of centuries of exploitation.
Opponents, however, warned that the language of the resolution risks deepening geopolitical divides, particularly over questions of liability and redress. Despite those concerns, supporters insist the measure represents a moral reckoning long overdue — and a signal that calls for justice are gaining traction at the highest levels of global governance.