Presidents, prime ministers, parliamentary leaders, and ministers from more than 80 countries have arrived in Ghana for the Next Steps Conference on Reparatory Justice, a high-level gathering convened by President John Dramani Mahama to advance global discussions on reparations for the transatlantic slave trade and its enduring consequences.
The conference is scheduled for June 17-19, 2026.
Among the dignitaries attending the conference are the presidents of Senegal, Namibia, Liberia, and São Tomé and Príncipe, the Prime Minister of Barbados, the Vice Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea, the Speaker of the Algerian Parliament, and ministers and senior government officials from across Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas and other regions.
The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, is also expected to be present at the conference.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, explained that the conference is expected to build momentum for a coordinated international approach to reparatory justice, bringing together political leaders, policymakers, academics, and advocates to examine pathways for addressing the historical and contemporary impacts of the transatlantic slave trade.
The gathering takes place three months after the historic adoption of United Nations Resolution A/RES/80/250, which declared transatlantic enslavement the gravest crime against humanity.
The resolution marked a significant milestone in international recognition of the scale and lasting effects of the transatlantic slave trade and has intensified calls for concrete measures to address historical injustices.
President Mahama, who has positioned Ghana as a leading voice in global reparatory justice efforts, is expected to use the conference to foster greater international cooperation and develop actionable frameworks for advancing reparations and restorative justice initiatives.
The Next Steps Conference on Reparatory Justice is expected to produce recommendations aimed at strengthening international advocacy, promoting historical accountability, and advancing policies designed to address the legacy of slavery and colonial exploitation.
