Ghanaian civil society organisation the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC) has urged Ghana, the African Union (AU) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to push for the creation of a formal United Nations (UN) mechanism for reparative justice, following the landmark passage of UN Resolution A/80/L.48 on March 25, 2026.
The resolution, spearheaded by President John Dramani Mahama and adopted by 123 votes to three in the UN General Assembly, formally declared the transatlantic slave trade the gravest crime against humanity. Argentina, Israel and the United States voted against it, while the United Kingdom and all 27 European Union member states abstained.
In a statement released on March 31, ISODEC congratulated President Mahama and the Ghanaian government for leading the successful passage of the resolution, while making clear that celebrations must be short-lived. “The real work begins NOW,” the statement read, warning that resolutions without implementation are mere paper.
ISODEC called specifically for the establishment of a dedicated UN body mandated to facilitate reparatory negotiations, document ongoing historical harms, and coordinate the repatriation of cultural artefacts removed during the colonial era. The organisation also urged nations that opposed or abstained from the vote to reconsider, arguing that declining legal liability cannot permanently shield any state from moral responsibility.
Beyond state actors, ISODEC called on the international community to adopt the CARICOM 10-Point Reparations Plan as a working framework. The plan encompasses formal apologies, debt cancellation, investment in public health and education, cultural repatriation and the creation of development programmes for affected communities. ISODEC also challenged civil society groups, scholars and advocates to press their governments for concrete domestic and foreign policies that advance reparative justice.
The UN resolution, though non-binding, represents the furthest the General Assembly has gone in formally recognising transatlantic slavery as a crime against humanity. President Mahama, who serves as the AU Champion for Reparations, has indicated Ghana intends to advance the agenda through the AU’s Decade of Action on Reparations and African Heritage, which runs from 2026 to 2036.
ISODEC Calls for UN Reparations Body After Historic Vote | NewsGhana
