By Ebuka Onyekwelu, Ph.D
The United Nations General Assembly yesterday passed a resolution recognizing slave trade as the worst crime against humanity in history. The resolution also considered ways to make some repatriation to the African continent that lost between 12 and 15 million people to slavery over a period of at least 300 years, which is the length of time the transatlantic slave trade lasted.
This UN resolution followed a move by Ghana calling on the UN to designate slave trade as a crime against humanity. A strong case was made by the President of Ghana, John Mahama, during his speech at the UN headquarters in New York. President Mahama challenged the world not to sweep slave trade under the carpet of history without properly closing the chapter of that evil past.
Passing the resolution at the UN General Assembly, the decision was approved by about 123 countries, while Britain and 51 others, including member states of the European Union, abstained from voting. However, the United States, Argentina, and Israel opposed the resolution.
By this resolution, slave trade is now regarded as the “gravest crime against humanity.” The UN also approved “steps towards remedying (that) historical wrong.”
