John Mahama Urges Global African Unity, Vows UN Motion on Reparations

President John Dramani Mahama has called on Africans and people of African descent across the world to unite around a common purpose of reparative justice and the reclamation of Africa’s historical narrative.

Speaking at the Diaspora Summit held at the Accra International Conference Centre on Friday, December 19, 2025, President Mahama said Africans must deliberately dismantle false stories that have long been used to divide the continent and marginalise its people. The summit was held under the theme “Resetting Ghana: The Diaspora as the 17th Region.”

According to the President, narratives that once justified oppression lose their power when they are exposed and challenged. He urged Africans and the diaspora to reverse the strategies that were historically used against them and instead deploy unity as a tool for progress.

President Mahama expressed optimism that, despite centuries of separation, Africans at home and abroad would achieve shared goals through collective action. He noted that descendants of enslaved Africans had preserved cultural links to the continent through music, rhythm and identity.

He paid tribute to renowned Pan-Africanists, including Marcus Garvey and Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, describing their work as foundational to the enduring bond between Africa and its diaspora. He added that the Black Star on Ghana’s national flag symbolises these Pan-African ideals and continues to serve as a rallying point for African unity.

On the issue of reparations, President Mahama announced plans to move a motion at the United Nations next year seeking formal recognition of the transatlantic slave trade as the greatest crime against humanity. He called on African states and the diaspora to support the initiative.

He said reparations must go beyond symbolic gestures to include debt cancellation, financial compensation, the return of stolen artefacts, institutional reform and meaningful economic redress within the global system. He cautioned against forgetting historical injustices, warning that silence would only enable the resurgence of racist and divisive narratives.