Measure adopted by wide margin calls for reparations over transatlantic slavery, with several Western nations abstaining or voting against.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The United Nations General Assembly this week approved a resolution addressing the legacy of transatlantic slavery, calling for reparations and formally designating the trafficking of enslaved Africans as “the gravest crime against humanity.”
The measure passed with 123 countries voting in favor, while the United States, Israel and Argentina opposed it. A group of 52 nations, including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands, abstained from the vote.
General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding but are often used to signal international consensus or political direction.
The resolution, introduced by Ghana, states that the transatlantic slave trade and the enslavement of Africans constitute the most severe category of crimes against humanity. It further asserts that claims for reparations represent “a concrete step towards remedying historical wrongs against Africans and people of African descent.”
Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, who helped advance the resolution, said approximately 13 million Africans were enslaved over several centuries. Speaking ahead of the vote, he said the measure “serves as a safeguard against forgetting,” adding, “Let it be recorded that when history beckoned, we did what was right for the memory of the millions who suffered the indignity of slavery.”
The text outlines principles under international law, stating that countries responsible for wrongful acts have an obligation to cease ongoing violations and provide reparations, which may include restitution, compensation or other forms of redress.
U.S. officials raised objections prior to the vote. Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Dan Negrea described the resolution as “highly problematic in countless respects,” stating that the United States does not recognize a legal basis for reparations tied to historical actions that were not prohibited 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.”
He added that the United Nations should focus on its core mission, stating it exists to maintain international peace and security rather than advance specific political agendas or create additional mandates.
European Union member states collectively abstained, with representatives expressing concerns about how the resolution characterized historical events. Cypriot Deputy U.N. Ambassador Gabriella Michaelidou, speaking on behalf of the EU, said the text presented what she described as an “unbalanced interpretation of historical events.”
The United Kingdom also abstained, with its U.N. mission acknowledging the historical impact of slavery while rejecting elements of the resolution. In a statement, British chargé d’affaires James Kariuki said, “We have repeatedly recognised the abhorrent nature of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade, which inflicted untold harm and misery on millions of people over many decades. Its horrors were profound and its legacy continues to leave deep scars today.”
Kariuki added that the UK disagreed with “fundamental propositions of the text” and stated, “The UK is firmly of the view that we must not create a hierarchy of historical atrocities.” He also referenced legal considerations, noting that international law did not formally codify prohibitions on slavery until the 20th century.
Historical context surrounding the issue of reparations was also highlighted. The British government abolished the slave trade in 1807, but individuals held in slavery across British colonies were not freed until 1838. Compensation at the time was directed to slave owners rather than those who had been enslaved, funded in part by a government loan that was not fully repaid until 2014.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the resolution and said some countries have taken steps to acknowledge their roles in slavery through formal apologies. “But far bolder actions, by many more states, are needed,” he said, adding that this could include measures supporting African nations’ control over natural resources.
The vote took place on the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, with supporters describing the resolution as an effort to address historical injustices, while opponents raised concerns about its legal framing and broader implications.
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