ACCRA — A three-day conference on slavery and reparatory justice, titled "Next Steps," concluded in Accra, Ghana, with the adoption of a 19-point framework. Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama announced the formation of three international bodies to focus on reparatory justice, cultural restitution, and legal affairs. The framework calls for formal apologies from nations and institutions that benefited from slavery, the establishment of reparations mechanisms, the repatriation of cultural artifacts and human remains, debt relief, educational initiatives, and enhanced international cooperation.

Attendees at the conference included heads of state, policymakers, academics, legal experts, civil society groups, and members of the African diaspora. The conference discussed the long-term effects of the transatlantic slave trade and strategies to advance reparatory justice. During the event, actors and students re-enacted scenes from the slave trade at Christiansborg Castle in Accra, a historic fortress that served as a holding point for enslaved Africans.

The conference's outcome document stated: "The enduring consequences of slavery continue to manifest through structural inequalities, economic disparities, systemic racism, cultural erasure and development challenges." The United Nations General Assembly previously adopted a resolution recognizing the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialized chattel slavery as among the gravest crimes against humanity. This resolution, backed by 123 countries, marked the first time in UN history that a resolution was exclusively dedicated to slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.

Nana Dwomoh-Doyen Benjamin, executive director of the African Chamber of Content Producers, said, "The Accra meeting on reparatory justice was not an end in itself but a crucial milestone in a longer journey." She added, "It reminded us that the legacy of slavery is not just historical, but its ripple effect continues to shape present-day inequalities in wealth, development, and access to global financial systems." Benjamin also said, "However, for these conversations to translate into meaningful change, Africa must also prepare its own systems to receive and protect the diaspora and investments it is calling home." She stated, "The recommendations from Accra must now be matched with concrete institutional reforms, including stronger protections for diasporans who return to the continent, and a deliberate strategy to use Africa’s creative industries as a vehicle for reparation advocacy and narrative control."

French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the conference via video message, acknowledging the historical reality of slavery. He stated that reparations should be part of an ongoing process of recognition and engagement. France recognized slavery as a crime against humanity in 2001. In 2022, the Dutch government formally apologized for the Netherlands' role in slavery. Britain has expressed regret for its part in the slave trade but has not committed to paying reparations.