Officials Adopt 18-Point Framework for Reparatory Justice at Ghana Conference

Heads of state, government officials, and other representatives adopted an 18-point global framework for reparatory justice at a conference in Accra on Friday. The gathering marked the first major meeting since a United Nations resolution recognized the trafficking of enslaved Africans as the gravest crime against humanity.

The document calls for fair compensation for Africans and people of African descent affected by enslavement, colonialism, genocide, and apartheid. It also urges accelerated return of cultural property, human remains, archives, and heritage to countries of origin, along with multilateral measures to address sovereign debt burdens through relief, restructuring, and cancellation.

The conference established three global panels on reparatory justice and restitution. Ghana’s president announced an advisory panel on reparatory justice, an expert panel on restitution of cultural artefacts, and a legal panel on reparatory justice to guide the next phase of international efforts.

The advisory panel includes leaders of countries with historic ties to the transatlantic slave trade in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The three-day event drew participants from more than 80 countries, including ministers, civil society representatives, historians, researchers, and legal experts.

The resolution calls for inclusive dialogue on reparatory justice and prompt restitution of properties valued by countries of origin. A project lead on reparatory justice at the Pan African Lawyers Union said the framework process sought to be inclusive and consulted representatives from Africa, the African diaspora, and non-African allies over several weeks.