Global framework for reparatory justice adopted at landmark conference in Ghana

John Mahama is joined on stage by leaders and representatives of African countries during the conference in Accra, Ghana. Photograph: Francis Kokoroko/Reuters View image in fullscreen John Mahama is joined on stage by leaders and representatives of African countries during the conference in Accra, Ghana. Photograph: Francis Kokoroko/Reuters Global framework for reparatory justice adopted at landmark conference in Ghana Ensuring fair compensation for those affected by legacies of enslavement and measures to address debt burdens, part of 18-point strategic roadmap More than money: the logic of slavery reparations A global framework for reparatory justice has been adopted at a conference in Ghana . Heads of state, governments and other officials adopted the strategy on Friday at a gathering in a hotel in the capital, Accra, which was the first major meeting since the adoption of the landmark United Nations (UN) resolution declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans as the gravest crime against humanity. The document lays out an 18-point global framework for reparatory justice. They include resolving to ensure fair and adequate compensation for Africans and people of African descent, including those affected by legacies of enslavement, colonialism, genocide and apartheid, and resolving to accelerate the return of cultural property, human remains, archives and heritage to countries of origin. The framework also calls for multilateral measures to address sovereign debt burdens, including debt relief, restructuring and cancellation to address enduring socioeconomic consequences of enslavement, colonialism and related historical injustices. Barbados prime minister announces manifesto for slavery reparations Read more “We recognise and honour the extensive efforts undertaken over generations by several governments, intergovernmental organisations, our forebearers, individuals and civil society partners across Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas, as well as in Europe and Asia in shaping the global reparations agenda,” the participants say in the document . “We adopt this document as a basis for global collaboration and commit to engaging in transparent, constructive and good faith dialogue in advancing reparations and reparatory justice among all state and non-state actors.” Ruth Ogbewekon, the project lead on reparatory Justice at the Pan African Lawyers Union who supported the preparation of the document, said the process tried to be inclusive given the pressures to build on the momentum of the resolution towards a global movement for reparatory justice. She added that representatives from Africa and the African diaspora, as well as non-African allies, were consulted over several weeks. “Ultimately, it was a process where people wanted to be heard and to see that they were heard, and the events in Accra provided that” she said. The adoption came on the last day of a three-day conference billed Next Steps that also resulted in the establishment of thre