Global framework for reparatory justice adopted at landmark conference in Ghana

A global framework for reparatory justice has been adopted at a conference in Ghana . Heads of state, governments and other officials adopted the strategy on Friday at a gathering in a hotel in the capital, Accra, which was the first major meeting since the adoption of the landmark United Nations (UN) resolution declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans as the gravest crime against humanity. The document lays out an 18-point global framework for reparatory justice. They include resolving to ensure fair and adequate compensation for Africans and people of African descent, including those affected by legacies of enslavement, colonialism, genocide and apartheid, and resolving to accelerate the return of cultural property, human remains, archives and heritage to countries of origin. The framework also calls for multilateral measures to address sovereign debt burdens, including debt relief, restructuring and cancellation to address enduring socioeconomic consequences of enslavement, colonialism and related historical injustices. “We recognise and honour the extensive efforts undertaken over generations by several governments, intergovernmental organisations, our forebearers, individuals and civil society partners across Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas, as well as in Europe and Asia in shaping the global reparations agenda,” the participants say in the document . …