In a landmark move, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans “the gravest crime against humanity” and declaring reparations as “a concrete step towards remedying historical wrongs.”
The measure passed on March 25 in a 123–3 vote with with 52 abstentions, the Associated Press reports. Argentina, Israel, and the United States voted against the measure, while the United Kingdom and all 27 European Union member states abstained rather than vote for or against it.
While voting against the measure, U.S. Deputy Ambassador Dan Negrea said the United States condemns the transatlantic slave trade and all forms of slavery but “does not recognize a legal right” to reparations for actions that were not considered illegal under international law at the time.
“The United States also strongly objects to the resolution’s attempt to rank crimes against humanity in any type of hierarchy,” Negrea said. “The assertion that some crimes against humanity are less severe than others objectively diminishes the suffering of countless victims and survivors of other atrocities throughout history.”
In addition to reparations, the resolution, proposed by Ghana, calls for the prompt and unconditional return of cultural items, including artwork, monuments, museum artifacts, documents, and national archives, to their countries of origin at no cost.
Ghana said the resolution was necessary because the
legacy of slavery—which saw at least 12.5 million Africans taken and sold between the 15th and 19th centuries—continues to shape racial disparities today. While United Nations General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding like those of the Security Council, they carry significant weight as a reflection of global opinion.“Today, we come together in solemn solidarity to affirm truth and pursue a route to healing and reparative justice,” Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, a key architect of the resolution, said before the vote.
The resolution marks a new step in Africa’s push for accountability from former colonial powers, following the African Union’s effort last year to establish a unified vision on reparations among its 55 member states. It calls on countries to engage in dialogue around reparations, including formal apologies, the return of stolen artifacts, financial compensation, and guarantees against repeat injustices.
Justin Hansford, a law professor at Howard University, said the resolution is sign is the strongest step the U.N. has taken in recognizing transatlantic slavery as a crime against humanity and calling for reparations.
“This marks the first vote on the floor of the U.N.,” Hansford said. “I can’t overstate how significant that is.”
But many Western leaders have resisted even discussing the issue, arguing that current governments should not be held responsible for past actions. African and Caribbean nations have also pushed for a U.N.-backed reparations tribunal, with supporters saying the resolution could help lay the groundwork for a broader reparative framework.
“History does not disappear when ignored, truth does not weaken when delayed, crime does not rot…and justice does not expire with time,” said Ghana’s foreign minister, Samuel Ablakwa.
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