At Next Steps Consultative Conference: Pres Mahama rallies global support for reparations • unveils 3 panels to advance to push agenda

President John Dramani Mahama yesterday opened the Next Steps Consultative Conference in Accra, announcing the formation of three high-level international committees to advance the global reparatory justice agenda.

The committees comprise a Global Advisory Panel on Reparatory Justice, an Expert Panel on the Restitution of Cultural Artefacts, and a Global Legal Panel on Reparatory Justice.

President Mahama explained that the Global Advisory Panel, made up of current and former Heads of State and Government, as well as eminent leaders and public figures, would provide strategic direction and promote international dialogue and cooperation.

He said the Expert Panel on the Restitution of Cultural Artefacts would support efforts to return cultural properties, archives, sacred objects and historical artefacts to their rightful communities and countries of origin.

The Global Legal Panel, he added, would bring together distinguished jurists and legal scholars to explore legal pathways and develop approaches grounded in international law, human dignity and justice.

The conference follows the landmark adoption of United Nations Resolution A/RES/80/250 and seeks to consolidate global efforts to acknowledge the lasting impact of the enslavement of Africans and its consequences.

Among the high-profile participants are the President of Namibia, Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah; the President of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye; the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley; and the President of Liberia, Joseph Nyuma Boakai.

Also in attendance are former President John Agyekum Kufuor, Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, Chair of the CARICOM Reparations Commission Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, and Dr Julius Garvey, son of Pan-Africanist Marcus Garvey, alongside jurists, diplomats, scholars and civil society leaders from across the world.

Addressing the gathering, President Mahama described the conference as a historic moment in humanity’s effort to confront one of the gravest injustices in history and chart a path towards justice, reconciliation and healing.

He stated that the meeting was not only about reflecting on the past but also about determining how humanity should respond to the enduring legacy of slavery.

The President recalled Ghana’s successful campaign at the United Nations General Assembly, which led to the overwhelming adoption of the resolution.

He said history had called on the present generation to complete a conversation that began centuries ago but remained unfinished.

President Mahama emphasised that Ghana’s pursuit of reparatory justice was not about reopening old wounds but about healing through truth, justice and understanding.

He stressed that the goal was not division, but reconciliation grounded in truth.

The President said the newly established panels would strengthen ongoing efforts by governments, regional organisations and international institutions, as the global community moved from recognition to implementation.

He urged participants to focus on practical outcomes that would translate international acknowledgement into concrete action.

According to him, while history could not be changed, the real challenge was whether humanity had the courage to learn from it, confront it honestly and turn remembrance into responsibility and action.

President Mahama also paid tribute to women and girls whose experiences during slavery, he said, had often been marginalised in historical accounts.

He stressed that their stories must be placed at the centre of truth-telling, remembrance and redress.

He further noted that although present generations could not be held personally responsible for the transatlantic slave trade, they had a duty to address its lasting effects.

Professor Sir Hilary Beckles described the conference as a defining moment in the centuries-long struggle for reparatory justice.

He said, for the first time, there was a unified global voice on the issue, expressing optimism that the moment would yield long-awaited results.

He attributed the adoption of the UN resolution to what he described as a global awakening in African consciousness, symbolising the re-emergence of a people whose labour, culture and humanity had been dispersed through slavery.

He noted that the symbolic “Door of Return” in Ghana represented not just history, but a renewed sense of identity that would shape the future of global Africa.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, described the UN resolution as a major milestone in restoring the dignity of Africans and people of African descent.

He said global discussions on reparatory justice had gained unprecedented momentum following its adoption.

Mr Ablakwa noted that growing international support showed that reparatory justice was no longer a marginal issue, but a legitimate global concern requiring serious engagement and practical solutions.

The conference is expected to produce a practical international roadmap to advance truth-telling, memorialisation, research and restitution, as well as other measures to address the lasting impact of the transatlantic slave trade.

Participants are also expected to adopt recommendations to guide future global engagement and strengthen collaboration among governments, regional bodies and international institutions.

BY CLIFF EKUFUL & JULIUS PETETSI

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