Ghana Leads Push for Reparations from Nations That Benefited from Slavery

The captives were held in Ghana's Cape Coast Castle before being forced into ships to take them across the Atlantic Ocean.

This year has seen a shift in tone in the global conversation about the transatlantic slave trade.

There is growing demand for formal apologies, debt relief and financial compensation from nations and institutions that benefited from slavery.

In March, a resolution was passed at the United Nations recognising slavery as 'the greatest crime against humanity' – although the US voted against the resolution and most European countries abstained from the vote.

The UK, which dominated the transatlantic slave trade alongside Portugal, has consistently rejected the idea of paying reparations.

This resistance has not deterred Ghana, which has become a leading voice on reparations.

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Ghana tabled the UN resolution and hosted a summit on reparations in June, attended

'Ghana has always been a pan-African leader,' says Foreign Minister Samuel Okuzeto Ablakwa. 'We're the first country to attain independence in sub-Saharan Africa and to prove that it is possible to fight imperial might, and win.'

Ghana's involvement in reparations efforts stems from its history as a major hub for the transatlantic slave trade.

About 10-15% of the estimated 12 million Africans who were forcibly removed from their homes and dehumanised during this period were from what is now Ghana.

'Ghana was the crime scene where these atrocities took place, so Ghana cannot afford to be silent on ensuring that we hold perpetrators accountable,' Ablakwa says.

The minister has called for a system of reparatory justice that funds educational grants, venture capital for young African entrepreneurs and research into enduring health issues that some argue may trace their roots back to the severe malnutrition and inhumane conditions of enslavement.