Addis ababa: 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.

According to Anadolu Agency, Mahama stated 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. He emphasized that all peoples of African descent have been waiting for this acknowledgment, asserting that the truth cannot be buried and highlighting the undeniable legal and moral imperatives.

Mahama explained that confronting historical truths requires 'moral courage,' not division, and noted that the effects of slavery are still evident today in the form of structural inequality, racial discrimination, and economic imbalances. He stressed that the adoption of the resolution would not mark the end of efforts, as Ghana plans to continue engagement with the United Nations Secretary General, the African Union Commission, relevant UN bodies, and interested member states.

He concluded by stating that this initiative is about a sustained dialogue on reparatory justice and healing, aiming to address the long-standing impacts of the transatlantic slave trade.