Mahama Delivers Inspiring Speech At UN, Courts Last-Minute Support For Slave Trade Resolution
- President Mahama urged the UN to recognise the transatlantic slave trade as humanity's gravest crime ahead of a vote on the matter
- He emphasised education and memorials as keys to historical preservation and preventing amnesia
- Mahama earlier criticised Trump’s policies, purportedly erasing Black history from educational curricula and cultural institutions
President John Mahama addressed the plenary of the United Nations General Assembly with a call for support of Ghana’s resolution declaring the transatlantic slave trade the gravest crime against humanity.
Mahama’s statement was on March 25, which marks the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Source: Getty Images
He underscored the importance of preserving history through education and memorialization.
In his speech, Mahama noted sites such as the Ark of Return at the UN Headquarters as symbols of remembrance and reflection.
“Through these activities, we do more than remember. We document and educate; we gain a greater perspective; we find the delicate balance of learning from history so we do not repeat it, while leaving the pain behind.”
He explained that the draft resolution is the outcome of extensive consultations involving African institutions, countries, scholars, and legal experts.
Mahama said adopting the resolution would help guard against historical amnesia while promoting justice and reconciliation.
“Today, we come together in solemn solidarity to affirm truth and pursue a route to healing and reparative justice. The adoption of this resolution serves as a safeguard against forgetting.”
The resolution has been backed by the Black Caucus in the US congress, the African Union and the Caribbean Community, as well as countries like Brazil.
Nana Akufo-Addo made similar calls before the UN when he was president.
At the 78th UN General Assembly on September 20, 2023, Akufo-Addo told world leaders that African states must be paid reparations because of the devastating impact of the slave trade.
Akufo-Addo said for centuries, the world had been unwilling to confront the realities of slavery.
Mahama criticises Trump again
This speech came after Mahama criticised the Trump administration for its handling of black history and accused it of normalising the erasure of black history.
Reuters reported that Mahama said certain US policies are becoming a template for other governments as well as some private institutions.
Mahama said that in the US, black history courses were being removed from school curricula, institutions were being mandated to stop teaching the "truth of slavery, segregation and racism," and books addressing these subjects were increasingly banned.
Since his return to power, US President Donald Trump has targeted US cultural and historical institutions to remove what he calls "anti-American" ideology.
Source: Getty Images
Mahama loses honorary degree at Lincoln University
YEN.com.gh reported that Lincoln University in Pennsylvania cancelled plans to give Mahama an honorary doctorate because of concerns over the anti-LGBTQ Bill.
Ghana's Embassy in the US confirmed the embarrassing development on March 24.
According to the embassy, Lincoln University had communicated concerns raised by a group about Mahama's position on the anti-LGBTQ bill.
Source: YEN.com.gh
