President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans for Ghana to convene a high-level side event at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September 2026 as the country intensifies efforts to advance the global campaign for reparatory justice for Africa and people of African descent.
President Mahama announced this at the 21st Extraordinary Summit of the African Union (AU) in Luanda, Angola, where he briefed fellow African leaders on progress made under the international reparations agenda and outlined Ghana’s next steps.
The upcoming UNGA side event will bring together heads of state, experts and other stakeholders involved in the reparations campaign to assess progress and discuss the way forward.
According to President Mahama, the meeting will receive progress reports from several panels established to undertake work arising from the reparations resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2025.
The panels are expected to provide specialised expertise and recommendations on the political, legal, historical and cultural aspects of reparatory justice.
Ghana expands reparations agenda
The President also highlighted key developments from the Next Steps Conference on Reparations held in Accra in June 2026.
The conference brought together African leaders and experts to consider practical steps towards advancing the global reparations campaign.
President Mahama said Ghana used the conference to broaden the scope of its reparations agenda by formally incorporating the historical injustice of indentured labour.
He also announced the establishment of three bodies to provide technical and expert guidance for the campaign.
These include a High-Level Advisory Council on Reparatory Justice, a Global Experts Panel on the Restitution of Cultural Heritage, and a Global Legal Panel on Reparatory Justice.
The bodies are expected to help develop proposals and recommendations covering the political, legal and cultural dimensions of reparatory justice.
Mahama calls for global support
President Mahama, who was named the African Union Champion for Reparations in June, said Ghana remains committed to providing leadership in efforts to secure justice and restitution for Africa and people of African descent around the world.
He invited African heads of state to participate in the planned UNGA side event as Ghana seeks to build stronger international support for the reparations campaign.
The September meeting is expected to serve as an opportunity for the various expert panels to report on their work since their establishment and for stakeholders to consider the next phase of the campaign.
Ghana’s push for reparatory justice is focused on addressing the historical consequences of slavery, colonialism and other forms of exploitation, while seeking greater recognition, restitution and justice for affected communities.
The UN General Assembly platform is therefore expected to allow Ghana and its partners to broaden international discussions on reparations and strengthen advocacy for concrete measures towards restitution and justice.
