{"id":16945,"date":"2026-05-29T06:47:59","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T06:47:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/?p=16945"},"modified":"2026-05-29T06:47:59","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T06:47:59","slug":"popes-slave-trade-admission-seen-by-government-as-defining-shift-in-reparations-discourse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/?p=16945","title":{"rendered":"Pope\u2019s Slave Trade Admission Seen by Government as Defining Shift in Reparations Discourse"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Government has described the recent apology by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV over the Holy See\u2019s role in the transatlantic slave trade as a major moment in the global push for historical justice, truth and reconciliation.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mjo-article-left_rectangle_mid\" data-google-query-id=\"CN3MzNjy3ZQDFa6SgwcdqIkrEw\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/1002554\/Myjoyonline\/mjo-article-left_rectangle_mid_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>In a statement issued by the Presidency on Thursday and signed by Government Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Ghana said the Pope\u2019s acknowledgement represented \u201can act of moral courage\u201d and an important contribution to ongoing international conversations about slavery, colonialism and reparatory justice.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Government of the Republic of Ghana warmly welcomes the historic statement by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV acknowledging and apologising for the role played by the Holy See in legitimising and sustaining the enslavement of Africans and the transatlantic slave trade,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n<p>According to the Presidency, the apology comes at a critical moment when the international community is engaging in \u201cdeeper reflection on the historical consequences of slavery and colonialism.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The statement stressed that the effects of slavery continue to shape societies across the world centuries later.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor five centuries, millions of Africans and people of African descent endured unimaginable suffering and dehumanisation through systems of racialised chattel enslavement whose effects continue to shape societies and communities across the world today,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n<p>Government noted that honest recognition of the past remains essential for healing and justice.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHonest recognition of this painful history remains an essential step toward healing, reconciliation and a more just future,\u201d the statement added.<\/p>\n<div class=\"autors-widget\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<div id=\"autors-container-0\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Presidency also linked the Pope\u2019s remarks to growing international momentum around historical accountability, especially following the recent adoption of United Nations General Assembly Resolution A\/RES\/80\/250.<\/p>\n<div id=\"in-article1\" data-google-query-id=\"COTMzNjy3ZQDFa6SgwcdqIkrEw\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/1002554\/Myjoyonline\/mjo-article-left_rectangle_mid2_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The resolution declared the trafficking and enslavement of Africans as \u201cthe gravest crime against humanity\u201d and called for sustained international dialogue on justice, equality and remembrance.<\/p>\n<p>According to government, discussions leading to the adoption of the resolution included difficult debates about the historical role of the Church and references to Papal Bulls connected to the slave trade.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAgainst this background, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV\u2019s apology is particularly significant and refreshing, as it demonstrates a willingness to confront difficult historical truths in the interest of justice, understanding and reconciliation,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n<p>The Presidency said Ghana remains deeply connected to the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade because of the forts and castles along its coast that served as holding points for enslaved Africans.<\/p>\n<div id=\"in-article2\" data-google-query-id=\"COXMzNjy3ZQDFa6SgwcdqIkrEw\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/1002554\/Myjoyonline\/mjo-article-left_rectangle_mid3_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>It said the country would continue to work with international partners, faith groups, civil society organisations and global stakeholders to advance efforts aimed at historical justice and restoration of human dignity.<\/p>\n<p>Government also announced that Ghana will host a High-Level Consultative Conference in Accra from June 17 to 19, 2026, under the leadership of President John Mahama.<\/p>\n<p>The conference is expected to focus on the next steps following the adoption of the UN resolution and sustaining global engagement on historical justice and remembrance.<\/p>\n<p>President Mahama, according to the statement, expressed appreciation to Pope Leo XIV \u201cfor this significant step\u201d and reaffirmed Ghana\u2019s commitment to promoting \u201ctruth, healing and a shared commitment to humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Disclaimer: The content provided on Fish FM Online is for informational and entertainment purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, we do not guarantee the completeness, reliability, or timeliness of the information presented. Fish FM Online and its affiliates are not responsible for any errors or omissions, nor for any decisions made based on the content available on our platform.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Government has described the recent apology by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV over the Holy See\u2019s role in the transatlantic slave trade as a major moment in the global push for historical justice, truth and reconciliation. In a statement issued by the Presidency on Thursday and signed by Government Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Ghana said [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":123457,"featured_media":16946,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[5344,5345],"class_list":["post-16945","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general-news","tag-pope","tag-reparations-discourse"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16945","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/123457"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16945"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16945\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16947,"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16945\/revisions\/16947"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/16946"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16945"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16945"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16945"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}