The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday adopted a resolution declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans "the gravest crime against humanity" and calling for reparations as "a concrete step towards remedying historical wrongs." The measure also urges the "prompt and unhindered restitution" of cultural items including artworks, monuments, museum pieces, documents and national archives to their countries of origin without charge.
The vote in the 193-member world body was 123-3, with 52 abstentions. Argentina, Israel and the United States voted against the resolution. The United Kingdom and all 27 members of the European Union were among those that abstained.
The resolution passed on the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, honoring the memory of approximately 13 million African men, women and children enslaved over several centuries.
What the Left Is Saying
Supporters of the resolution framing the vote as a milestone for global justice. Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, a key architect of the resolution, said before the vote: "Today, we come together in solemn solidarity to affirm truth and pursue a route to healing and reparative justice." He added: "The adoption of this resolution serves as a safeguard against forgetting. Let it be recorded that when history beckoned, we did what was right for the memory of the millions who suffered the indignity of slavery."
The resolution "unequivocally condemns the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialized chattel enslavement of Africans, slavery and the transatlantic slave trade as the most inhumane and enduring injustice against humanity," according to the text. It calls on U.N. member nations to engage in talks "on reparatory justice, including a full and formal apology, measures of restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction, guarantees of non-repetition and changes to laws, programs and services to address racism and systemic discrimination."
In the United States, support for reparations gained momentum following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020, though the issue has faced conservative backlash over how race, history and inequality are handled in public institutions.
What the Right Is Saying
The United States opposed the resolution, with Deputy U.S. Ambassador Dan Negrea stating before the vote that while the U.S. opposes the transatlantic slave trade and all other forms of slavery, it "does not recognize a legal right to reparations for historical wrongs that were not illegal under international law at the time they occurred."
Negrea also said: "The United States strongly objects to the resolution's attempt to rank crimes against humanity in any type of hierarchy. The assertion that some crimes against humanity are less severe than others objectively diminishes the suffering of countless victims and survivors of other atrocities throughout history."
The United Kingdom and European Union nations abstained from the vote. British acting U.N. Ambassador James Kariuki, speaking on behalf of mainly Western nations including some that enslaved Africans, said Western nations are committed to tackling root causes that persist today, including racial discrimination, racism, xenophobia and intolerance. However, he expressed concerns about "the use of superlatives" that imply "a hierarchy among atrocity crimes."
Cyprus' deputy U.N. ambassador Gabriella Michaelidou, speaking on behalf of the EU, echoed these concerns and cited the EU's worry about "the unbalanced interpretation of historical events" and legal references that are inaccurate or inconsistent with international law, including "suggestions of a retroactive application of international rules which was non-existent at the time and claims for reparations."
What the Numbers Show
The vote count was 123 countries in favor, 3 against and 52 abstentions out of the 193-member General Assembly. The three countries voting against were Argentina, Israel and the United States.
The resolution acknowledges approximately 13 million African men, women and children were enslaved over several centuries during the transatlantic slave trade.
Unlike U.N. Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding but serve as an important reflection of world opinion.
The resolution encourages voluntary contributions to promote education on the transatlantic slave trade and asks the African Union, the Caribbean Community and the Organization of American States to collaborate with U.N. bodies and other nations on reparatory justice and reconciliation.
The Bottom Line
The adoption of this resolution marks the first time the full U.N. General Assembly has formally called for reparations related to the transatlantic slave trade, though it remains non-binding. The vote demonstrates significant global support for addressing historical injustices, with over 60% of member states backing the measure.
The United States, United Kingdom and European Union — nations that were deeply involved in the transatlantic slave trade — either opposed or abstained, citing legal concerns about retroactive accountability and objections to ranking crimes against humanity. Their positions highlight the ongoing political sensitivity of reparations discussions, particularly in Western nations with direct historical ties to slavery.
What happens next will depend on whether member nations choose to engage in the reparatory justice talks the resolution calls for. The measure opens space for discussions on formal apologies, restitution of cultural artifacts, compensation and legal changes to address systemic discrimination — but implementation remains uncertain without mandatory enforcement mechanisms.