ISTANBUL 

Ghana’s president called on African Union (AU) member states Sunday to support a draft resolution aimed at recognizing the historical injustices caused by the transatlantic slave trade.

John Mahama made the comments while speaking at a press conference during the 39th AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Mahama said that while the step would not erase the past, it would formally acknowledge that the trade in enslaved Africans and racialized slavery were grave crimes that played a central role in shaping the modern world.

“All peoples of African descent have been waiting for this day. The truth cannot be buried. The legal foundations are sound; the moral imperative is undeniable,” he said.

Highlighting that confronting historical truths is a matter of “moral courage,” not division, Mahama noted that the effects of slavery continue today in the form of structural inequality, racial discrimination and economic imbalances.

“Adoption of the resolution will not be the end. Following the adoption, Ghana will continue engagement with the United Nations Secretary General, the African Union Commission, relevant UN bodies and interested member states,” he said.

“This is about a sustained dialogue on reparatory justice and healing,” he added.