World leaders gather in Accra for Reparatory Justice conference

Ghana is hosting representatives from more than 80 countries in Accra for a major international conference focused on reparatory justice and the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade.

The Next Steps Conference on Reparatory Justice has drawn several heads of state and senior government officials from Africa, the Caribbean and beyond, in what organisers describe as an effort to advance global discussions on historical justice and redress.

According to Ghana's Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the gathering includes the presidents of Senegal, Namibia, Liberia, and São Tomé and Príncipe, as well as the Prime Minister of Barbados, the Vice Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea and the Speaker of Algeria's parliament.

The conference is being convened under the auspices of President John Dramani Mahama and is expected to focus on strengthening international cooperation on reparatory justice initiatives.

In a post on social media, Mr Ablakwa said the event marks an important step in efforts to build on recent international momentum surrounding the issue.

"The Presidents of Senegal, Namibia, Liberia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Prime Minister of Barbados, Vice Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea, Speaker of the Algerian Parliament and Ministers from over 80 countries arrive in Ghana for the Next Steps Conference on Reparatory Justice convened by President John Dramani Mahama," he wrote.

The conference comes three months after the adoption of United Nations Resolution A/RES/80/250, which has intensified international debate over the historical impact of the transatlantic slave trade and calls for reparatory measures.

Mr Ablakwa described the resolution as a landmark development in the global conversation on historical injustice.

Participants are expected to discuss practical frameworks for advancing reparatory justice, strengthening multilateral cooperation and translating international commitments into policy action.

The meeting places Ghana at the centre of growing international efforts to address the long-term consequences of slavery, colonialism and related historical injustices.