European countries have reaffirmed their commitment to advancing reparatory justice and addressing the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade at the High-Level Consultative Conference on the Next Steps to the Landmark United Nations Resolution on the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans, held in Accra from June 17 to 19, 2026.
The conference, hosted under the auspices of President John Dramani Mahama in his capacity as African Union Champion on Advancing the Cause of Justice and the Payment of Reparations, sought to develop a practical roadmap for implementing the reparatory justice agenda.
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The meeting followed the adoption of United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/80/250 on March 25, 2026. The resolution, tabled by President Mahama, declared the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialised chattel enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity. It was adopted with 123 member states voting in favour, 56 abstaining and three voting against.
President Mahama noted that despite differing political and legal views on reparatory justice, dialogue and engagement remain essential. He said expanding participation in the conversation had encouraged several countries and institutions to acknowledge their historical roles and offer apologies.
In a video address, French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed France‘s commitment to advancing dialogue on the legacy of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.
He highlighted France’s efforts to confront historical injustices through historical research, preservation of the collective memory of slavery and support for academic research on colonial history, slavery and the slave trade.
President Macron also expressed France’s readiness to work with Ghana, international organisations and other partners to promote historical truth, scientific research and constructive dialogue in support of reparatory justice. He noted that France had repealed and repudiated the 1685 Code Noir, the royal decree that institutionalised slavery in French colonies, as part of efforts to acknowledge historical injustices and promote reconciliation.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, also addressed the conference by video, describing the transatlantic slave trade as one of the darkest chapters in world history.
He acknowledged Denmark’s role in the injustice, stressed the importance of preserving the memory of slavery, and pledged Denmark’s support for the establishment of a museum and memorial to educate future generations about the transatlantic slave trade.
Rasmussen also reaffirmed Denmark’s commitment to continued dialogue on addressing the legacy of slavery and commended Ghana for its leadership on the reparatory justice agenda.
The conference also witnessed symbolic commitments on cultural restitution.
The Ambassadors of the Netherlands and Germany to Ghana, Jeroen Verheul and Frederik Landshöft, presented catalogues of cultural artefacts believed to have been unlawfully taken during the colonial era and indicated their countries’ readiness to return them.
Ambassador Verheul recalled the formal apologies offered by former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in 2022 and King Willem-Alexander in 2023 for the Netherlands’ role in slavery and the slave trade.
Ambassador Landshöft said Germany considers the restitution of cultural heritage an important step toward acknowledging historical injustices and promoting reconciliation.
The conference concluded with a renewed call for broader international engagement, stressing that inclusive dialogue remains essential in addressing the enduring legacy of what participants described as the gravest crime against humanity.
