UN Labels Slavery ‘Most Serious Crime’ in Reparations Vote
In a landmark push for historical justice, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution on Monday declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialized enslavement as the “most serious crime against humanity.” The resolution, which calls for formal apologies and a global reparations fund, saw 123 countries vote in favor, though several former colonial powers and major global players refused to back the measure.
A Divided Global Response
The text, introduced to the Assembly by Ghana and co-sponsored by dozens of member states, passed with a significant majority. However, the vote also highlighted deep diplomatic rifts. Out of the 193 UN member states, 123 supported the resolution, while three—the United States, Israel, and Argentina—voted against it.
An additional 52 nations chose to abstain, including several European countries with deep historical ties to the transatlantic slave trade, such as Portugal, the United Kingdom, Spain, and France.
The Call for Reparations
The approved resolution is a significant step in the international movement for restorative justice. Beyond its symbolic labeling of slavery as a supreme crime against humanity, the document urges UN member states to consider offering formal apologies for their roles in the slave trade. Crucially, it advocates for the establishment of a reparations fund to address the lasting socio-economic legacies of systemic enslavement.
Portuguese-Speaking Nations Take a Stand
The vote saw a clear divide within the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). While Portugal chose to abstain, many of its former colonies actively championed the measure. Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, and São Tomé and Príncipe were among the resolution’s co-sponsors.
Other CPLP members, including Brazil and Timor-Leste, also cast their votes in favor of the resolution, further isolating Lisbon’s position within the Lusophone community on the issue of historical accountability.
Image: Pexels – Edmond Dantès
