Ghana`s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has being giving an overview of Ghana’s participation in the 81st UNGA in New York, as well talking about the significant progress being made since the passing of the landmark UN Resolution declaring the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity.
This was in an exclusive interview on Key Points, a Saturday morning TV3 Talk Show on October 10, 2026. We reproduce below what the Minister said in this interview:
Overall Assessment of Ghana at 81st UNGA
“Ghana represented the continent very well at the 81st UNGA. Ghana represented the global south with distinction”.
“I have followed reviews and analysis from pundits and experts in international relations across the world and they have all hailed Ghana’s participation at the 81st UNGA session”.
“Right from our strategic engagements with Boeing and Amazon all the way to countries we chose to engage with.
Looking at railway development, looking at AI governance, agriculture, agri-business, and trade expansion, Ghana has been strategic, leading to the side events we organized on Reparatory Justice”.
Side Event on Reparatory Justice
“For the first time, we are seeing that, since the Ghana-led landmark resolution, which the UN, by a massive very impressive vote of 123 UN Member States voting to support the Ghana-led resolution which declared the Transatlantic Slave Trade as the gravest crime against humanity, many Africans and people of African descent have being working towards this day for decades upon decades.
It had to take the visionary leadership of H.E John Dramani Mahama, as the African Union Champion for Reparatory Justice to table this resolution, and it is really to the glory of the almighty to be able to galvanise this massive international support”.
“And we have put together a very formidable coalition. And you saw that, virtually all the European States, except Portugal and Spain, who initially abstained from the vote, were at our side event, pledging support that they are now going to work with us, particularly on the matter of restitution.
And some of them have pledged and presented catalogues of artefacts, important objects of cultural heritage, which they are going to return”.
“Interestingly, the United States of America, also attended the side event, which is a seismic shift from the position they took earlier. Even though they did not speak, it signals a certain approach to engage”.
WHEN ARE WE GOING TO SEE THE GAINS KICK IN?
When asked when we are going to see the gains of the advocacy kick-in, the Minister had the following to say:
Landmark UN Resolution itself Consequential
“Already, to have the UN resolution passed with such high numbers; that is such a consequential decision. We are at a defining moment. So, you cannot downplay the significance of what we have achieved”.
Apologies and Pledges
“Beyond that you are beginning to see the gains. After the resolution, you heard France, President Macron has apologized.
He has repealed Code Noir; that very obnoxious piece of legislation which described Africans as property, as chattel; that, we could even be abused, maimed, and it was not illegal, has been repealed since the UN resolution.
We are also seeing the major announcement made by President Macron that they will establish a scientific commission with Ghana, here in Accra, to carry out further research”.
“Denmark has also since apologized, and they have pledged resources to help preserve our forts and castles, because we need to keep them for truth-telling.
Because we always have denialists and minimalists who want to distort history and to say that this really never happened, and that, this is been exaggerated. Now we have the opportunity to preserve these forts and castles”.
“I must commend UNESCO and successive governments of Ghana for doing well in preserving these forts and castles. But we must admit that some have come into ruins (Keta, Shama, Ewutu Senya area). So, with this new international momentum we can preserve these forts and castles for truth-telling”.
“Then we are also seeing more apologies. You have heard the apologies from Pope Leo XIV, because don’t forget that there was some role of the Catholic Church in providing religious backing; what is called the Papal bull which served as the Christian doctrinal base to allow slavery to persist for many decades. So, that apology has been well received. We commended the Pope for his leadership on this matter”.
“The Archbishop of Canterbury has also apologized on behalf of the Church of England and has pledged 100-million-pound fund for young African entrepreneurs and young scholars. We are working with the Church of England on the modalities”.
“We have also seen that the UK has signaled that they will want to be engaged. And that happened in New York at our side event”.
“So, these are very substantive, very concrete positive developments that we have seen”.
Catalogues of Artefacts Presented
“The Dutch, and the Germans have also presented a catalogue to us of more than 2,000 artefacts they are ready to return”.
Head of King Badu II Returned
“Already, the Dutch have returned the head of King Badu II who resisted the enslavers, and they were quite amazed at his vision, and his dexterity when it comes to warfare and resisting a superior army the Europeans put together.
They had to seek reinforcement, and then he was later assassinated. But the decision was that his head had to be cut off for them to study what kind of human being he was. We now have that head.
There are many dimensions to this. This confirms that there has always been resistance, and a good number of our traditional leaders rose up, raised armies and fought the slave raiders. It also demonstrates that we have always been capable people who can excel.
From science, archaeology to warfare, we have always had what it takes. So, these are very important symbols in our history which will motivate the young generation, and many generations to come”.
“So, I see a lot of progress that has been made.
Three Global Panels Established
“We now have established three global panels. President Mahama is chairing the Panel on Reparatory Justice.
We have the Panel on Restitution which is chaired by Prof. Gavua. And then we have the Panel of international legal luminaries who are looking at the case for some legal basis to proceed in terms of compelling the perpetrators to atone, to compensate”.
“I must commend the legal luminaries for the job they have done. I have seen their initial reports and the coming days will be interesting if you look at the legal advances they have made”.
Jamaica Commended for Petition to UK
“I must also commend Jamaica. They have recently presented a petition to the Privy Council, and we are watching the Royal family closely on how they will respond as we go into the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Antigua and Barbuda”.
OVERALL
“So, there is a lot of progress that has been made since the adoption of the landmark Ghana-led UN resolution on the Transatlantic enslavement”.
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