Ghana will host a high-level international conference on reparatory justice in June, positioning itself at the centre of efforts to translate a recent United Nations resolution on trans-Atlantic slavery into concrete global policy.
The three-day meeting, scheduled for June 17 to 19 in Accra, follows the adoption of United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/80/250, which declared the trans-Atlantic trafficking and enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity. The resolution secured backing from 123 UN member states, marking one of the strongest multilateral endorsements yet for advancing reparations discourse.
The conference will be convened under the auspices of President John Dramani Mahama, who also serves as the African Union’s champion for reparations. It is expected to bring together heads of state, foreign ministers, legal experts, historians and activists to define next steps in what has been a long-running but fragmented global campaign.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the gathering aims to move beyond symbolic recognition toward actionable frameworks, including policy coordination, institutional mechanisms and sustained international engagement on reparatory justice.
Deliberations will centre on translating the UN resolution into a common global framework, with an outcome document expected to outline recommendations and forward-looking actions for both continental and international implementation.
The event also reflects a broader push by African governments to consolidate a unified position on reparations, amid growing calls from the diaspora and advocacy groups for compensation, restitution and formal acknowledgment of historical injustices.
A key highlight of the conference will be a Juneteenth commemoration at Christiansborg Castle, a site closely tied to the history of trans-Atlantic slavery. The event, described as a first-of-its-kind joint observance with African diaspora communities in the United States, is intended to anchor discussions in historical context while reinforcing themes of remembrance, recognition and justice.
The conference will also serve as a platform to deepen engagement with international partners and diaspora stakeholders, whose support is seen as critical to advancing the reparations agenda within global institutions.
Outcomes from the Accra meeting are expected to shape subsequent negotiations and policy direction at both African Union and United Nations levels, as momentum builds following the landmark resolution.
