The decision was tabled by Ghana.
The vote was held on Wednesday (Picture: Getty)
The UN Basic Meeting adopted a decision on Wednesday that declared the trafficking of enslaved Africans the “gravest crime towards humanity”. The non-legally binding decision additionally referred to as on the UK and different nations concerned within the slave commerce up to now to pay reparations as “a concrete step in the direction of remedying historic wrongs”.
Cultural objects, equivalent to artworks, monuments, and museum items, also needs to be returned to their nations of origin shortly and totally free, the decision states. The decision handed 123-three, with Israel, the US, and Argentina voting towards, and 52 different nations abstaining, together with the UK and all 27 members of the EU.
John Mahama, the president of Ghana, launched the decision. (Picture: Getty)
Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama launched the decision on behalf of the African Union, calling on the 193-member world physique to “pursue a path to therapeutic and reparative justice”.
He stated earlier than the vote: “At present, we come collectively in solemn solidarity to affirm fact and pursue a path to therapeutic and reparative justice.
“The adoption of this decision serves as a safeguard towards forgetting. Let or not it’s recorded that when historical past beckoned, we did what was proper for the reminiscence of the thousands and thousands who suffered the indignity of slavery.”
In September 2025, the African Union joined the Caribbean Neighborhood in calling for reparations from Britain for its “colonial crimes”, with the Caribbean Neighborhood submitting a invoice of £18 trillion.
James Kariuki, the deputy everlasting consultant of the UK to the UN, stated the historical past of slavery and “its devastating penalties and long-lasting impacts” mustn’t ever be forgotten.
By approving the decision, the UN reaffirmed the significance of addressing slavery and selling “justice, human rights, dignity and therapeutic.”
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Member nations are urged to have interaction in talks “on reparatory justice, together with a full and formal apology, measures of restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction, ensures of non-repetition and modifications to legal guidelines, applications and companies to deal with racism and systemic discrimination.”
They’re additionally inspired to make voluntary contributions to advertise schooling on the transatlantic slave commerce and collaborate with the African Union “on reparatory justice and reconciliation”.
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