UN Secretary-General Backs Call for Justice | DISCUSS

On Wednesday, March 25, 2026, UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a powerful message to the General Assembly, echoing the global demand for reparatory justice and labeling the transatlantic slave trade a "staggering crime".

His remarks coincided with the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the historic passage of the Ghana-led resolution declaring the trade the "gravest crime against humanity".

---

"Truth, Justice, and Repair"

Secretary-General Guterres used his address to urge nations to move beyond symbolic gestures:

Confronting the Legacy: He stated that the global order is still "haunted" by a system that lasted over 400 years, with institutions and economies still enriched by the profits of chattel slavery.

Call for Bolder Action: While welcoming initial apologies from some governments, Guterres declared that "far bolder actions—by many more Member States—are needed" to address the enduring consequences of racism and inequality

Decade of Reparations: He explicitly endorsed the African Union’s Decade of Reparations (2026–2036) as a vital framework for driving "reparatory justice and inclusive development".

---

Pillars of the Secretary-General’s Vision

The Secretary-General outlined three critical steps for global healing:

Economic Sovereignty: He called on the international community to respect African countries' ownership of their own natural resources.

Structural Reform: He demanded equal participation for African nations in the global financial architecture and a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

Human Rights and Dignity: Guterres urged states to dismantle systemic racism in schools, politics, and the workplace to ensure that the "inherent worth of every person" is respected.

A Historic UNGA Vote (March 25, 2026)

The Secretary-General’s remarks were the backdrop to a "landmark" day at the UN:

Category	Outcome
The Resolution	Declared the slave trade the "gravest crime against humanity".
Vote Count	123 in favor, 3 against (US, Israel, Argentina), 52 abstaining.
Core Demand	Acknowledgment of historical wrongs and a framework for reparations.

"We will never forget the victims of slavery. And we must never forget the malevolent system that sustained it for so long... There can be no peace without justice—reparatory justice." — António Guterres, March 25, 2026.