Ghana is pushing a new diplomatic push at the United Nations: it wants the international community to recognize the transatlantic slave trade as a crime against humanity.

Former President John Dramani Mahama spoke in New York to make the case that slavery’s legacy did not end with history books. He argued that the system of dehumanization carried out against Africans helped create inequalities that still affect people today.

Ghana has submitted a draft resolution to the UN General Assembly to shift how the world understands slavery and its long-term consequences. Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the goal is not to compete or compare different forms of suffering, but to ensure the slave trade is acknowledged properly and with dignity.

He also pushed back against the idea of treating slavery as something finished and irrelevant to the present. In his view, ignoring what slavery left behind allows ongoing injustice to continue.

As part of the campaign, Ghana is also working to document and preserve historical records related to the slave trade—building evidence for recognition, accountability, and a clearer international response.