President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to seeking global recognition of the transatlantic slave trade as the “greatest crime against humanity” and pushing for reparations for Africa.

Speaking in an exclusive interview on China Global Television Network (CGTN), Mahama said Ghana intends to move a motion at the United Nations next year to advance the cause.

“And so Ghana wants to move a motion in the UN next year asking the world to recognise the slave trade as the greatest crime against humanity. And so we’ll continue to push on the African champion on reparations,” he said, noting that he has consistently raised the issue of reparations in international forums, including the UN.

President Mahama also highlighted the injustices of colonialism in Africa, recalling how European powers partitioned the continent during the Berlin Conference, exploited its natural resources, and used them to build their own economies.

“Africa ran those colonies, exploited the natural resources and transferred those natural resources—oil, palm, gold, minerals, cocoa and other products—to develop their countries. It’s only from the late 1950s that countries like Ghana got independence. And so that was an injustice. Colonialism was an injustice against African countries,” he added.

The interview took place as Ghana and China mark 65 years of diplomatic ties, with discussions spanning trade, industrialisation, and infrastructure development.

In the CGTN “Leaders Talk” episode, Mahama and host Wang Guan explored China’s proposed Global Governance Initiative and its potential to strengthen development cooperation with Africa.

The session also underscored Ghana’s broader role in advocating for African historical justice while charting a path toward modernisation and economic growth.