President John Dramani Mahama has welcomed UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s acknowledgement of the horrors of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, as well as his government’s openness to a formal apology and structured dialogue on reparatory justice.
In a statement issued on Sunday, November 1, 2026, the President said: “I welcome, with cautious optimism and appreciation, the UK Prime Minister’s acknowledgement of the horrific violation of human dignity inflicted by the Transatlantic Slave Trade, as well as the UK government’s openness to a formal apology and structured dialogue.”
Speaking as African Union Champion on Reparations and Chair of the Global Advisory Panel on Reparatory Justice, President Mahama commended the Prime Minister’s statement for what he described as its bold, reflective, conciliatory and honest reckoning with the UK’s legacy of slavery and colonialism.
He noted that the statement follows the adoption of the Ghana-led United Nations Resolution declaring the Transatlantic slave trade and racialised chattel enslavement of Africans the gravest crime against humanity.
He described the development as particularly refreshing given the UK’s abstention during the vote.
“We consider this a watershed moment and a refreshing contribution to the growing international consensus on reparatory justice,” he said.
President Mahama recalled Ghana’s place in the history of the trade, saying the country is home to the highest number of slave castles and forts in the world.
“Along our shores stand the silent monuments of our shared pain: the castles and dungeons of Cape Coast, Elmina, Christianborg, and many more, where millions of our people were stripped of their humanity, marched through the ‘Door of No Return,’ and shipped across the Atlantic into chattel bondage,” he said.
He indicated that an acknowledgement of the atrocities and a formal apology cannot undo the injustices of the past, but said they signal a crucial departure from past denial and open the path toward genuine healing and repair. Ghana, he said, stands in solidarity with all African Union member states, the wider CARICOM community and people of African descent in the Americas.
The President endorsed the call for a structured, good-faith dialogue involving the AU, CARICOM, the African diaspora and the countries that were part of the system of chattel enslavement.
He acknowledged that perspectives on reparatory justice may not be identical, with areas of strong disagreement, but said such differences must not deter the parties from the shared objective.
According to the President, the dialogue must encompass reparatory justice within the context of, among others, a formal apology; a coordinated international commitment to dismantle systemic racism and Afrophobia; targeted investments in education, science, youth empowerment, climate resilience and healthcare; the restitution of stolen cultural heritage; and strategic development partnerships to address structural poverty and rectify inequitable global economic and debt architectures.
He said the Accra Next Steps Commitments, the CARICOM Ten Point Plan and the African Union’s declarations on reparatory justice provide a clear and principled framework for the discussions.
The Government of Ghana also commended Prime Minister Burnham and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband for what it described as moral leadership.
“As we embark on this shared path, Ghana stands resolute. We have waited too long for this day; let our generation of leaders be remembered for our courage to confront the past honestly and seek the healing and repair that will put this dark chapter of human history behind us and guarantee non-repetition,” President Mahama stated.
He added that Ghana is ready to walk the road in full partnership with the African Union, CARICOM, members of the global coalition and the United Kingdom to achieve lasting justice, genuine reconciliation, true healing and the creation of a new world without racism and discrimination.
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