In a sweeping majority vote on March 25, the United Nations Summit declared the racialized chattel enslavement of Africans from the 15th to the 19th century as the”gravest crime against humanity.”
The vote, led by Ghana, sought to formally acknowledge the horrors of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, address historical wrongs, facilitate the return of stolen cultural artifacts, and answer the growing calls for reparations for the descendants of those affected.
The final tally saw 123 votes in favor, three against, and 52 abstentions. While the support of over a hundred nations marks a historic milestone, the identities of the dissenting and abstaining states reveal a deep geopolitical divide.
The United States, one of the three “no” votes, issued an address explaining its position through Ambassador Dan Negrea of the U.S. Mission to the UN. Negrea stated that while the U.S. condemns the “wrongs” of the slave trade, it objects to the promotion of “niche agendas” and the concept of “reparatory justice.”
Negrea argued against reparations because slavery was not illegal at the time it was practiced, and suggested the specific historical timeframe of the summit was politically motivated.
Addressing concerns regarding the administration’s support for the Black community, Negrea stated, “Trump has done more for Black Americans than any other president and enjoyed historic support from the Black community in the 2024 election.” In that election, data showed Trump made notable gains, securing approximately 20% of the Black male vote and 13% of the total Black vote, a significant shift from previous Republican benchmarks.
The 52 countries that abstained included members of the European Union (EU), among others. The EU had its own address, with the Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the United Nations, Gabriella Michaelidou, giving a statement on behalf of the EU. The EU acknowledges the wrongdoings of the transatlantic slave trade and the suffering it caused. They also emphasize the importance of being open about history and promoting equality. There were concerns they could not resolve with the UN, including: insecurity in establishing a “hierarchy” of atrocities when there is no legal hierarchy, the potential to create more division than unity, and a lack of international rules regarding reparations.
The United Kingdom (UK), another country that abstained, gave a similar statement, delivered by James Kariuki, the UK Ambassador to the UN. The speech acknowledges the horrors of slavery, but disagrees with many of the terms in the original propositions by the UN. These concerns included “diminishing” the trauma of “other communities.” Along with the absence of a legal framework for reparations or retroactive justice.
As of now, neither Israel nor Argentina has provided a direct address.
It is important to note that the United States, the United Kingdom, and several other European nations were involved in the transatlantic slave trade. The legacy of the horrors of these historical war crimes is reflected today in disparities in education and socioeconomic status of many descendants of the direct victims. Over 15 million African people were trafficked into slavery, reducing humans to property. The wealth of many Western countries can be attributed to racialized chattel slavery. This includes the period of industrialization and the looting of African resources and art. A refusal by several countries to agree to recognize the need to right historical wrongs legally is not shocking but rather a reflection of a long-lasting legacy of complacency on the subject of racialized slavery and its modern-day impact.