Baku:Antigua and Barbuda Ghana's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has expressed appreciation towards the United Kingdom for its willingness to engage in discussions regarding reparatory justice. The dialogue focuses on the UK's historical involvement in the transatlantic enslavement of Africans.
According to Ghana News Agency, this development is viewed as a crucial step towards healing and reconciliation, addressing the long-lasting impacts of the transatlantic slave trade. The commendation was delivered on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama and the Ghanaian government during a bilateral meeting with UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2026).
The UK’s reported openness to a formal apology and structured dialogue was hailed as an act of courage and moral leadership by Mr. Ablakwa in a statement shared on social media. Ghana, alongside partners in the African Union (AU), Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and a broader international coalition, is prepared to collaborate with the UK to promote reparatory justice.
The initiative seeks to foster genuine reconciliation, restitution, reparations, and efforts to eliminate racism and discrimination. Mr. Ablakwa attributed this progress to Ghana's pivotal role in securing a landmark United Nations resolution that declared the transatlantic enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity, furthering global talks on historical injustices.
Ghana also welcomes European nations that abstained during the UN vote and is eager to engage them further on the matter. Mr. Ablakwa highlighted this as a significant achievement for Ghana's foreign policy and reaffirmed the government's dedication to achieving reparatory justice for the nation and descendants of enslaved Africans, emphasizing Ghana's focus on tangible outcomes in justice and reconciliation efforts.