Brazil’s President commends Ghana’s reparations leadership
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Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva publicly praised President John Mahama of Ghana and the Ghanaian people for spearheading a global push for reparatory justice.
President Lula made these remarks during his address to the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. He specifically referenced a United Nations declaration, adopted in March 2026 following a Ghana-led initiative, that recognises the trafficking of enslaved Africans as the most serious crime against humanity.
This declaration, formally known as Resolution 80/250, also calls on countries to discuss reparatory justice and address the ongoing effects of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade. President Lula described the UN’s decision as a necessary correction of a historical inaccuracy and urged the international community to move beyond simply acknowledging the crime to address critical issues facing the world.
Ghana first announced its intention to propose the resolution to the UN General Assembly in September 2025, and then led the effort on behalf of the African Group to secure its adoption. Following the declaration, Ghana hosted a conference in Accra in June 2026 to discuss practical steps for achieving global reparations, with Brazil offering its support. President Lula previously voiced Brazil’s backing for the Ghana-led resolution at the CELAC-Africa Summit in Bogotá, Colombia.
