By Prince Ahenkorah
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has commended President John Dramani Mahama and Ghanaians for their leadership in advancing the global campaign for reparatory justice.
President Lula made the remarks in his address to the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he highlighted the significance of a landmark declaration recognising the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialised chattel enslavement of Africans as the “gravest crime against humanity.”
The declaration was adopted by the UN General Assembly on March 25, 2026, following a Ghana-led initiative championed by President Mahama.
The resolution calls for inclusive dialogue on reparatory justice and acknowledges the lasting consequences of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.
Addressing the Assembly, President Lula described the UN decision as an important correction to what he termed a historical distortion.
“This General Assembly recently corrected a historical distortion in the world map. It recognised the trafficking of enslaved Africans as the gravest crime against humanity,” he said.
He stressed that the international community must now move beyond recognition and focus on addressing issues that are critical to humanity’s future.
“It approves a more accurate representation of the world map. Now, it needs to focus on issues crucial for the future of humanity. We are called to choose between multilateralism or unilateralism, democracy or extremism, sovereignty or subordination,” President Lula stated.
“These choices require courage, political will, and clarity of objectives. This is what we expect from a statesman,” he added.
President Lula’s comments come as Ghana continues to advocate for concrete action following the adoption of the UN declaration.
The resolution, formally titled the Declaration of the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans and Racialised Chattel Enslavement of Africans as the Gravest Crime against Humanity, was adopted as UN General Assembly Resolution 80/250.
It formally recognises the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialised chattel enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity and calls on member states to engage in dialogue on reparatory justice.
President Mahama first announced Ghana’s intention to introduce the resolution during his address to the UN General Assembly in September 2025.
Ghana subsequently led the initiative on behalf of the African Group, culminating in its adoption by the General Assembly in March 2026.
The adoption has since been followed by efforts to translate the declaration into practical measures.
In June 2026, Ghana hosted a high-level conference on reparatory justice in Accra, bringing together stakeholders to discuss the next steps towards advancing the global reparations agenda.
Brazil has been among the countries supporting Ghana’s initiative.
President Lula had earlier announced Brazil’s full support for the Ghana-led resolution during the CELAC-Africa Summit in Bogotá, Colombia, ahead of the UN vote.