‘Stand on the right side of history’ — President Mahama urges UN to back slavery resolution

President John Dramani Mahama has urged leaders of United Nations (UN) member states to “stand on the right side of history” by supporting an African Union-backed resolution on slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, the President, speaking on behalf of the African Union, called for global support for the motion as part of activities marking the International Day for the Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

“Let it be recorded that when history beckoned, we did what was right for the memory of the millions who suffered the indignity of slavery. Let our vote on this resolution restore their dignity and humanity,” he said.

Call for justice and recognition

The draft resolution, titled “Declaration of the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans and Racialised Chattel Enslavement of Africans as the Gravest Crime Against Humanity”, seeks formal recognition of the transatlantic slave trade, slavery, colonisation and apartheid as grave injustices in human history.

It also calls for reparations and reparative justice, as well as the return of cultural and historical artefacts to African countries and people of African descent across the world. Additionally, it advocates reforms to global systems to ensure equitable opportunities and the protection of rights for Africans and the diaspora.

President Mahama urged member states not to remain neutral on what he described as a moral issue, reinforcing his argument with a quote from Theodore Roosevelt: “With a great moral issue involved, neutrality does not serve righteousness; for to be neutral between right and wrong is to serve wrong.”

He further emphasised the pursuit of justice, citing civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., who said, “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

The President acknowledged the long and difficult journey towards justice for Africans but said steady progress continues to bring the world closer to “the kind of world we would like to leave for our children”.

Remembering the victims

President Mahama underscored the importance of remembrance, noting that honouring victims of the transatlantic slave trade is essential to building a better future.

He said the observance is not only to honour the estimated 13 million Africans who were enslaved over centuries but also to inspire global reflection and action.

“We remember them through articles and oral histories, through broadcast programmes, books, music, visits to museums, monuments, and memorials, such as the Ark of Return, located right here at the Visitors Plaza of the United Nations Headquarters.

“Through these activities, we do more than remember. We document and educate; we gain a greater perspective; we find the delicate balance of learning from history so we do not repeat it, while leaving the pain behind.

“In doing so, we begin to heal, individually, within our immediate communities, and within the global community,” the President said.

He stressed the need for the global community to learn from history without dwelling on its pain, urging collective efforts towards healing and a more just future.

False narratives

For his part, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, called for the dismantling of false narratives and racial inequalities, urging a direct confrontation of the underlying structures of white supremacy.

“By dismantling its damaging falsehoods online, in the media, in schools, at work, in politics, and within ourselves. And by working on truth, justice, and rebellion. To recognise the extraordinary courage of the exploiters, we honour their determination to be free, their quiet resilience, and their organised resistance,” he said.

He stressed that the perverse global order fostered by the slave trade and slavery thrived because power was exercised without conscience, adding that leaders must now use power for more constructive purposes.

“Now we must improve the persistent barriers that prevent so many people of African descent from exercising their rights and realising their potential. We must commit fully and without hesitation to human rights, equality, and the inherent worth of every person,” the UN Secretary-General stated.

The UN Secretary-General also called for concrete action to address systemic racism and promote inclusive development, particularly for people of African descent.

He welcomed the African Union’s preparations and international efforts to promote cohesion, justice and equality.

The Secretary-General commended countries apologising for their role in slavery, but stressed that more action is needed to address its lasting consequences.

He also called for respect for African countries’ control over their natural resources and their participation in global financial decision-making.