The United States has formally notified Ghana that it is prepared to work with the Ghana-led effort on reparatory justice, even though it voted against the related United Nations resolution.
Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa made the disclosure at a high-level side event held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The event, co-hosted by Ghana with Germany and France, focused on advancing international cooperation for the return and restitution of cultural properties and heritage under the theme “From Commitments to Action on Reparatory Justice.”
“We have received formal notice from the United States of America that even though they voted against this resolution, they are willing to begin to work with us towards that fair and just world we all seek,” Ablakwa told the gathering.
He presented the development as evidence that the Ghana-led initiative is fostering cooperation rather than division. Ablakwa noted that several European countries that abstained from the vote have also reached out to express readiness to engage, including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Denmark and Portugal.
The minister stressed that the push for reparatory justice aims at healing and genuine reconciliation. “The Ghana-led effort is not about dividing the world. It is rather about bringing us together. It is rather about healing. It is rather about genuine reconciliation,” he said.
The announcement comes as Ghana continues to lead international efforts focused first on cultural restitution, with later stages potentially including formal apologies, debt relief and broader measures under frameworks developed with African and Caribbean partners.
Supporters of the agenda say growing engagement from Western countries, including the formal notice from Washington, demonstrates that the process can build bridges across regions rather than deepen divisions.
