Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has urged the United Kingdom to formally apologise for its part in the transatlantic slave trade and to return African cultural artefacts taken during slavery and colonial rule.
In a statement on Sunday, November 1, Mahama responded to British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who had signalled willingness to offer a formal apology and to hold structured talks with countries affected by the slave trade.
Mahama, who is the African Union Champion on Reparations and Chair of the Global Advisory Panel on Reparatory Justice, welcomed Burnham’s stance. He insisted, however, that an apology alone cannot address the lasting effects of slavery and colonialism.
He listed five areas to guide the proposed talks, which would involve Ghana, the African Union (AU), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the African diaspora and countries that took part in the slave trade:
- A formal apology
- Joint action against systemic racism and Afrophobia, and investment in education, healthcare and youth empowerment
- Restitution of stolen cultural heritage
- Development partnerships to tackle structural poverty and inequalities in the global economic system
Mahama added that the talks should also deal with unfair global debt arrangements that continue to burden developing countries.
He described the UK’s openness to an apology as a major step in the push for reparatory justice. He pointed to a Ghana-led United Nations resolution, adopted in March, which recognised the transatlantic slave trade and the racialised enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity. The UK abstained from that vote.
According to Mahama, acknowledging the atrocities and apologising cannot undo the suffering of millions of Africans. But he said it would mark a break from historical denial and open the door to healing and redress.
He called for the dialogue to be held in good faith, noting that participating countries may hold different positions on reparations. He said the discussions should draw on the Accra Next Steps Commitments, CARICOM’s Ten Point Plan and the AU’s declarations on reparatory justice.
Burnham had earlier said the UK would engage in structured discussions and listen to calls for an apology, but ruled out financial reparations. He argued that people alive today should not be held liable for historical wrongs.
Ghana has been leading efforts to recover African cultural property held in foreign museums and private collections, alongside wider demands for reparatory justice.
Mahama reaffirmed Ghana’s readiness to work with the UK, African countries, CARICOM and the African diaspora towards reconciliation, restitution and redress for the lasting effects of slavery.
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