March 26, New Delhi – The United Nations (UN) General Assembly designated the transatlantic African slave trade as "the gravest crime against humanity" on Wednesday, despite opposition from the United States and some European countries.
In a move that advocates hailed as a step towards healing and possible reparations, the resolution was adopted by a vote of 123 in favor, three against, and 52 abstentions.
The United States, Israel, and Argentina opposed the measure, while Britain and member states of the European Union abstained.
Ghana's President John Mahama was at the United Nations headquarters in New York to support the vote, emphasizing it as a step toward truth, healing, and restorative justice.
The non-binding resolution urges countries involved in the slave trade to pursue restorative justice and acknowledges the ongoing impact of slavery through racial discrimination and neo-colonialism.
