The chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission Mahmoud Ali Youssouf “warmly” welcomed the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the resolution, declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans and radicalised chattel enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity.
The Chairperson commended Ghana for initiating the resolution referred to as A/80/L.48 which he said reflects Africa’s longstanding and principled call for the full recognition of the slave trade and its enduring consequences.
“This historic decision marks an important step toward truth, justice, and healing, and reinforces the urgent need to address the enduring legacy of slavery,” Youssouf stated.
The Chairperson reiterated the African Union’s call for comprehensive acknowledgment of the historical and contemporary impacts of slavery, including the pursuit of reparative justice, in line with Agenda 2063 and relevant Assembly decisions.
On Wednesday, the chairperson called for strengthened global efforts to confront the legacy of slavery and to address its lasting socio-economic and cultural impacts. He reaffirmed the importance of education, remembrance and dialogue as critical tools to combat racism, discrimination and all forms of intolerance.
The forced removal from Africa of more than 25 million Africans in the period from 1500- 1900 remains a blot on the history of mankind. It was accompanied by brutality, killings and massive abuses of human rights on a scale that is yet unparalleled because of the length and breadth of its inhumanity.
It had a gross and significant long-term effect on the socio-cultural and economic growth and development of African communities and still lies at the root of fractionalisation, ethnicity, conflict and instability in several parts of the continent today.
MG/as/APA