What in the World The UN recognises slave trade as ‘gravest crime’: What now?
Mar 30, 2026
Abina Issa Bakofi, a recent graduate in Accra who voices Ghanaian youth views, and Daniel Dadzie, BBC Africa journalist and analyst. They discuss the UN vote recognising the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity. Conversations cover Ghana's reparations push, why some states opposed or abstained, and what this recognition could mean for diplomacy, memory and future calls for redress.
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Scale And Lasting Impact Of The Transatlantic Trade
- The transatlantic slave trade moved an estimated 12–15 million people over 400 years and caused millions of deaths.
- Daniel Dadzie highlights the scale, duration, and persistent economic and racial impacts that shape today's inequalities and diaspora.
Ghana Led The UN Proposal And Youth Responded
- Ghana proposed the UN resolution asking member states to consider apologies and contributions to a reparations fund.
- Abina Issa Bakofi and peers in Accra felt proud the proposal came from Ghana and excited youth engagement in the debate.
Why The UN Used 'Gravest Crime' Language
- The UN framed the trade as the 'gravest crime' to stress large numbers, centuries-long duration, and ongoing harms.
- Daniel Dadzie says this wording shifts focus to persistent consequences like racial hierarchies and diaspora formation.