President Mahama has welcomed UK PM Andy Burnham’s openness to a formal apology and listed five reparations priorities, from restitution to global debt reform.

Published 1 Nov 2026, 09:38 GMT

3 min read

Article tools

Mahama Sets 5 Priorities for Reparations Talks With UK

Listen to this article

Playback position

0:003:00

Playback speed

President John Dramani Mahama has set out five priorities that should anchor dialogue on reparatory justice, after UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham acknowledged the horrors of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and signalled openness to a formal apology.

In a statement released on Sunday, November 1, 2026 by his Spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, President Mahama said he welcomed the development “with cautious optimism and appreciation.”

Speaking as African Union (AU) Champion on Reparations and Chair of the Global Advisory Panel on Reparatory Justice, he commended the statement as an honest reckoning with the UK’s legacy of slavery and colonialism. He described it as a “watershed moment,” particularly because the UK abstained during the vote on the Ghana-led United Nations resolution declaring the slave trade the gravest crime against humanity.

The five priorities

President Mahama said dialogue must cover reparatory justice within the context of, among others:

A formal apology;
A coordinated international commitment to dismantle systemic racism and Afrophobia;
Targeted investments in education, science, youth empowerment, climate resilience, and healthcare;
The restitution of stolen cultural heritage; and
Strategic development partnerships to address structural poverty and rectify the inequitable global economic and debt architectures that continue to constrain developing nations.

On the fifth point, he noted that the issue had been highlighted by both the Accra Reset and the Bridgetown Initiative.

The President said the Accra Next Steps Commitments, the CARICOM Ten Point Plan, and the AU’s declarations on reparatory justice provide a clear and principled framework for the talks.

Ghana, he said, endorses a structured, good-faith dialogue involving the AU, CARICOM, the African diaspora, and the countries that were part of the system of chattel enslavement. He acknowledged that perspectives on reparatory justice may not be identical and that there are areas of strong disagreement, but insisted that such differences must not deter the shared objective.

He also expressed solidarity with AU member states, the wider CARICOM community, and people of the Americas.

The statement commended Mr Burnham and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband for their moral leadership, saying that confronting historical truth is not a sign of weakness but an act of statesmanship and justice.

Noting that Ghana is home to the highest number of slave castles and forts in the world, President Mahama said a formal apology cannot undo past injustices but would signal a crucial departure from denial and open the path to healing and repair.

“We have waited too long for this day,” he said, adding that Ghana is ready to walk the road in full partnership with the AU, CARICOM, its global coalition, and the United Kingdom.

Evans EffahEvans Effah is a digital media expert with 10+ years of experience in content creation, audience growth, and media relations. He is the Online Editor at 3News.com. Contact: evans.effah@mg.com.gh

President Mahama Lists 5 Priorities for Reparations Talks with UK

Suggested for you

More Stories

Osun group condemns attack on Sowore, demands police arrest those responsible

Lagos Government Starts Joint Enforcement to Make Danfo Drivers and Conductors Wear Badges

'It was a prayer walk' - Pastor Adeboye denies carrying placard against Jonathan

Nigeria Debate Consortium Starts 2027 Election Debate Series in Lagos

Migrants Find Shelter in Cyprus as EU Slows Down Admissions

Sokoto Cannot Become a War Zone, ADC Raises Alarm as Gunmen Attack Dan'iya at Airport

Discussion