UJPLA Commends President Mahama’s ‘Tenacious’ Leadership Over UN Declaration on Slavery

The Union of Journalists for African Free Press (UJPLA) has joined a chorus of international voices welcoming the declaration. In a strongly worded statement, UJPLA Chairperson Yao Noël lauded the “audacious move and tenacious leadership” of Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama, whose advocacy at both the African Union and the UN was central to the resolution’s success.

The Union also extended its gratitude to the African Union for maintaining a “solidarity of purpose” that ensured the continent spoke with one voice in New York.

”We commend Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama for his audacious move and tenacious leadership which culminated in the landmark vote,” the statement read. “UJPLA also salutes the African Union for its overwhelming solidarity in securing this historic victory.”

A Pathway to Restorative Justice

The resolution, document A/80/L.48, does more than just rename a historical event; it explicitly affirms that claims for reparations are a “concrete step” toward remedying historical wrongs. It highlights that the system of slavery was a “definitive break in world history” that continues to structure modern economic and racial inequalities.

President Mahama, addressing the General Assembly ahead of the vote, noted that the declaration is a safeguard against the “erasure” of African history.

”Today, we come together in solemn solidarity to affirm truth and pursue a route to healing and reparative justice,” Mahama declared. “This resolution is a pathway to healing… it is a safeguard against forgetting.”

Journalists Called to Action
UJPLA is now urging its members and journalist unions across the African continent to use their platforms to keep the momentum of this “African Renaissance” alive.

The Union argues that the UN declaration should not be the end of the conversation but the beginning of a coordinated effort toward total reparative justice.

The Union’s statement concluded with a call for the media to deploy their collective influence to help accomplish the twin goals of restoration and continental pride.

”UJPLA urges journalists unions and their members across Africa to deploy the power they wield and the influence they peddle to help accomplish the twin goals of reparative justice and the African renaissance.”

With the African Union having already designated 2026–2036 as the “Decade of Action on Reparations,” this UN resolution provides the legal bedrock for a decade of intense global negotiation and healing.

President Mahama addressing the UN General Assembly on reparations.

This video provides a first-hand look at President Mahama’s advocacy for this historic resolution during the African Union summit leading up to the UN vote.

Historic Triumph for Africa: UN Declares Transatlantic Slave Trade the ‘Gravest’ Crime Against Humanity

In a monumental shift for international law and global history, the United Nations General Assembly has officially voted to declare the transatlantic slave trade and the racialized chattel enslavement of Africans as the “gravest crime against humanity.” The resolution, adopted on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, marks the first time the global body has categorized these historical atrocities with such definitive legal and moral weight.

The vote saw an overwhelming majority of 123 member states in favor, spearheaded by a strategic diplomatic push from Ghana on behalf of the 54-member African Group. While the resolution faced opposition from the United States, Israel, and Argentina—and saw 52 abstentions—the consensus among the majority signals a new era for reparatory justice.