Prez Mahama takes Ghana’s reparations push to global stage in US visit

President John Dramani Mahama is heading to the United States this week with a clear message: the conversation around slavery and its lasting impact must move beyond remembrance to action.

Leading Ghana’s delegation, the President is expected to engage global leaders and policymakers in New York and Pennsylvania, placing reparatory justice at the centre of his visit. The trip signals Ghana’s growing role in shaping international discussions on historical accountability and the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade.

At the United Nations headquarters, President Mahama will deliver a keynote address at a high-level event focused on reparations. The gathering is expected to bring together world leaders to examine the long-standing effects of slavery and explore pathways toward justice for affected communities.

He is also scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly during activities marking the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Ghana is expected to use the platform to reinforce a broader African position calling for global recognition of slavery as one of the gravest crimes against humanity.

Beyond the diplomatic engagements, the visit carries symbolic weight. A stop at the African Burial Ground in New York will honour the memory of enslaved Africans, while engagements with academic institutions and the Ghanaian diaspora are expected to deepen cultural and historical ties.

For Ghana, the trip represents more than participation in global events. It is an attempt to push a long-standing issue back into international focus, with renewed urgency and a stronger, united voice from the African continent.