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Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has welcomed the United Kingdom’s openness to issuing a formal apology for the transatlantic slave trade, describing the development as an important step towards reparatory justice.
Mahama said the UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s acknowledgement of the atrocities committed during the slave trade and willingness to engage in structured discussions offered an opportunity to address historical injustices.
In a statement released on Sunday by his spokesperson and Minister of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Mahama described the UK leader’s position as a significant recognition of Britain’s history of slavery and colonialism.
I commend Prime Minister Burnham and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband for their moral leadership in recognising that confronting historical truth is not a sign of weakness, but an act of statesmanship and justice. https://t.co/rMFkr2gowo
— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) November 1, 2026
“I welcome, with cautious optimism and appreciation, the UK Prime Minister’s acknowledgement of the horrific violation of human dignity inflicted by the Transatlantic Slave Trade, as well as the UK government’s openness to a formal apology and structured dialogue,” Mahama said.
The Ghanaian president, who also serves as the African Union Champion on Reparations and chairs the Global Advisory Panel on Reparatory Justice, said the announcement was particularly notable following the adoption of a Ghana-led United Nations resolution recognising the transatlantic slave trade and the racialised enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity.
He noted that the UK had abstained during the vote on the resolution, making its subsequent openness to an apology and dialogue a notable development in international discussions on reparations.
“The Prime Minister’s statement, following the landmark adoption of the Ghana-led UN Resolution declaring the Transatlantic slave trade and racialised chattel enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity, is a refreshing development, particularly considering the UK’s abstention during the vote.
“We consider this a watershed moment and a refreshing contribution to the growing international consensus on reparatory justice,” the statement read.
Mahama said Ghana’s position on the issue was shaped by its historical experience, pointing to the slave forts and castles along its coast, including those in Cape Coast, Elmina and Christiansborg.
He recalled that millions of Africans were held in the facilities before being transported across the Atlantic through what became known as the ‘Door of No Return’ and forced into slavery.
“Ghana speaks on this historic issue from a place of deep and enduring memory. We are home to the highest number of slave castles and forts in the world. Along our shores stand the silent monuments of our shared pain: the castles and dungeons of Cape Coast, Elmina, Christianborg, and many more, where millions of our people were stripped of their humanity, marched through the “Door of No Return,” and shipped across the Atlantic into chattel bondage.
“While an acknowledgement of the atrocities and a formal apology for the grave mistreatment of the millions affected cannot undo the profound injustices of the past, they signal a crucial departure from past denial and open the path toward genuine healing and repair.” the statement added.
While acknowledging that an apology could not reverse the suffering and injustice inflicted on millions of people, Mahama said recognising the atrocities would help move discussions beyond denial and create opportunities for healing and restitution.
He reaffirmed Ghana’s solidarity with African Union member states, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and people of African descent in the Americas, calling for structured negotiations involving these groups and countries connected to the transatlantic slave trade.
Mahama acknowledged that participating countries and communities might hold different positions on reparatory justice but urged them not to allow disagreements to undermine their shared objective of securing justice and addressing historical harm.
“Ghana aligns itself fully with our brothers and sisters in all AU Member States. It stands in firm and complete solidarity with the Government and people of the wider CARICOM community. We also remain in steadfast solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the Americas.
“Ghana endorses the call for a structured, good-faith dialogue involving the African Union (AU), CARICOM, the African diaspora and the countries that were part of this system of chattel enslavement.
“We recognise, as our partners do, that our perspectives on reparatory justice may not be identical. There are clearly areas of strong disagreement, but such differences must not deter us from the shared. Objective.”
He outlined five areas that should feature in the discussions: a formal apology; international action against systemic racism and Afrophobia; targeted investment in education, science, youth development, climate resilience and healthcare; the return of stolen cultural heritage; and development partnerships to address structural poverty and inequalities in the global economic and debt systems.
He also identified the Accra Next Steps Commitments, CARICOM’s Ten Point Plan and African Union declarations on reparatory justice as frameworks for guiding the negotiations.
The Ghanaian president commended Burnham and UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband for recognising the importance of confronting historical injustices, arguing that acknowledging the past demonstrated political courage rather than weakness.
Mahama said Ghana was prepared to work with the African Union, CARICOM, the wider international coalition and the United Kingdom to pursue reconciliation, reparations and measures to prevent the recurrence of racism and discrimination.
