Accra: President John Dramani Mahama has initiated the formation of three global panels as foundational elements for advancing the objectives of the United Nations Resolution A/RES/80/250, which declares the trafficking and racialized chattel enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity.
According to Ghana News Agency, these panels include the Global Advisory Panel on Reparatory Justice, the Expert Panel on the Restitution of Cultural Artefacts, and the Global Legal Panel on Reparatory Justice. President Mahama introduced these initiatives during the High-Level Consultative Conference on the Next Steps following the landmark United Nations resolution.
The Global Advisory Panel on Reparatory Justice will consist of Heads of State, government officials, and notable public figures, tasked with providing strategic direction. This panel includes members such as President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of Namibia, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr of Liberia, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal, and Barbados' Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley.
The Expert Panel on the Restitution of Cultural Artefacts aims to facilitate the return of cultural properties, archives, sacred objects, and historical treasures to their original communities. Meanwhile, the Global Legal Panel on Reparatory Justice will gather esteemed jurists and legal scholars to explore legal avenues that align with international law, human dignity, and justice.
The Accra Summit has attracted world leaders such as Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea, Manuel Osa Nsue Nsua, President of So Tom© and Prncipe, Carlos Vila Nova, and the Speaker of the Algerian Parliament, Mr. Azouz Nasri. The two-day event aims to bolster the international community's recognition of the enduring impact and global ramifications of African enslavement.
President Mahama emphasized that the CARICOM 10-point plan would serve as a crucial foundation for the panels' work. He stated that the resolution's adoption was not the conclusion of their efforts but rather the beginning of a comprehensive process of engagement, reflection, and action.
Recalling the events of September 25, 2025, President Mahama shared his address to the UN General Assembly, where Ghana announced its intention to introduce the resolution. The resolution was adopted on March 25, 2026, with 123 member states supporting it.
Expressing gratitude, President Mahama thanked the member states, institutions, scholars, civil society organizations, faith leaders, activists, and advocates who contributed to the resolution's adoption. He remarked that for Ghana, this initiative is more than a diplomatic exercise; it is a moral obligation deeply embedded in the nation's history, identity, and responsibility. The goal, he asserted, is not to reopen old wounds but to heal them, seeking justice, understanding, and reconciliation grounded in truth.