Ghana reaffirmed its leadership on the global reparatory‑justice agenda as Hon. Emelia Arthur, Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, joined H.E. John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana and AU Champion on Reparations, at a high‑level UNGA81 event on the return and restitution of cultural property and heritage.

The meeting, held at The Pierre, A Taj Hotel, forms part of Ghana’s continued efforts to translate the landmark UN Resolution A/RES/80/250, spearheaded by Ghana in March 2026, into concrete international action.

The resolution, adopted by 123 votes, formally recognised the trafficking and chattel enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity. Following the Accra Next Steps Conference in June 2026, Ghana has established global mechanisms to advance reparatory justice, including expert panels on restitution and legal remedies.  Today’s UNGA81 engagement focused on accelerating practical outcomes such as returning cultural objects,

opening archives, and strengthening conservation systems. Ghana also used the platform to reinforce continental solidarity, with Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and AU Deputy Chairperson Selma Malika Haddadi agreeing to deepen Ghana‑AU collaboration on the reparatory‑justice agenda.