The United Nations General Assembly has officially recognized the transatlantic slave trade, which forcibly transported Africans across the Atlantic, as a serious crime against humanity. The resolution, introduced by Ghana, was passed on Wednesday with majority support. It calls for historical acknowledgment of the atrocity, urges member states to express remorse, and includes a proposal to establish a compensation fund.

A total of 123 countries voted in favor of the resolution, while the United States, Israel, and Argentina opposed it. Fifty-two countries, including the United Kingdom and members of the European Union, abstained. Ghanaian President John Mahama said the decision honors the millions who suffered under slavery and racial discrimination, describing it as a safeguard against historical amnesia and a challenge to address the lingering wounds of slavery.

U.S. envoy to the UN Dan Negrea opposed the resolution, stating that the United States does not recognize compensation claims for historical wrongs that were not illegal under contemporary international law and warned against pressuring modern nations for crimes with which they had no connection.