Ghana hosts conference to advance reparatory justice after UN resolution

Ghana is hosting a three-day conference in Accra called Next Steps, starting on Wednesday, to push the continent’s effort on reparatory justice after the UN resolution that declared the trafficking of enslaved Africans the gravest crime against humanity. More than 80 countries will be represented by heads of state and government, ministers, civil society figures, historians, researchers and legal experts.

The programme includes an event on 19 June at Osu Castle to honour Juneteenth. Delegates will focus on five objectives, among them formulating a framework to advance the resolution globally and establishing global panels on reparatory justice and restitution, with the aim to "transform political momentum into a common concrete institutional commitment for reparatory justice".

The resolution, adopted nearly three months ago on a proposal by Ghana on behalf of AU member states, saw 123 votes in favour, three against (the US, Israel and Argentina) and 52 abstentions, including the UK and all EU member states.

Ghana, Accra

ghana, accra, un resolution, reparatory justice, slave trafficking, juneteenth, osu castle, african union, restitution, civil society